Reclaiming Digital Safety: Feminist Strategies Against Online Harassment

Abstract

The expansion of digitization of public discourse has heightened both opportunities and challenges for gender justice. As, cyber platforms which provide spaces for feminist activism and resistibility, they have also become sites of pervaded online harassment, which disproportionately target women and weaker section in Global South. This theme critically examines the gendered framework of online harassment that led to fraudulent activities, with exploration of intersection of race, caste, class and sexuality. It also tried to put light on colonial and patriarchal roots of digital violence, demonstration of how historical regulatory frameworks and platforms policies often failed to safe vulnerable agents. By a view of decolonial feminist lens, this paper tried to analyses grassroot strategical ways for digital safety, including community- led initiatives, digital self- defense tools and counter speech movements. It also channelizes the role of tech corporation and government subsidiary in shaping digital world, emphasizing the need for intersectionlaity, feminist policy making. The study argues for the creation of inclusive, community- driven digital safety models that prioritize the voice and experiences of those who are mostly affected. Ultimately, this research paper calls for collective reimagining of digitalized spaces- one that is rooted in feminist social value of care, accountability and gender-based justice. By centering towards resistibility-based strategies from Global South, it contributes to the ongoing discourse on claiming digital safety and ensuring equitable access to online spaces free for harassment and violence.