Force launches campaign to ‘Know More’ about online abuse and harassment of women and girls
South Yorkshire Police is calling on people across the county to ‘Know More’ about online abuse and harassment against woman and girls as it launches a new campaign.
Know More calls out online abuse and harassment for what it is. It can happen on any digital device and in any location – at home, at work, in town, or on public transport.
The force says it is “never just a joke, a bit of banter or for fun”, adding: “Certain abusive messages and posts are a crime and all of them have a real-life impact on the women and girls who experience it.”
Launching on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Monday (November 25), Know More focuses on the crimes of cyberflashing, cyberstalking, threats of harm, rape and death, and the intentional sharing of false information online. Some of these are new offences introduced under the Online Safety Act 2023.
Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Assistant Chief Constable Hayley Barnett said: “Not only do we see violence against women and girls in the real world, but sadly nationwide we’re also witnessing a concerning rise in the number of reports of online abuse and harassment with stalking and harassment accounting for 23 per cent of all online offences.
“But we know it is still heavily underreported, so we’re encouraging everyone to understand the seriousness of these appalling behaviours and recognise them for what they are – crimes that have long lasting implications for victims.
“If we all know more about online abuse and report to police, we can help stop violence against women and girls.”
South Yorkshire Police says while everyone can be at risk of online harm and abuse from perpetrators, women with a necessarily public online profile, such as influencers, politicians or journalists, are disproportionately affected. Three quarters of women working in journalism in the UK have experienced rape or death threats, harassment and stalking, according to recently published data.
One journalist has chosen to share her story of online abuse and the impact on her work and personal life in support of the Know More campaign:
‘Know More’ follows on from the force’s ‘No More’ and ‘Do More’ violence against women and girls (VAWG) campaigns, which were launched in 2022 and 2023. It has been developed with input from the force’s VAWG Independent Advisory Group – made up of those who have lived experience of VAWG, or work in organisations that support women and girls who have experienced this type of violence – as well as the University of Sheffield, the Women in Journalism campaign group and Reach plc.
The campaign artwork features real South Yorkshire women, including SYP employees and students from the University of Sheffield.