Nearly three-quarters of countries don't do enough to protect women from gender-based harassment and violence online, according to the World Wide Web Foundation's annual study.
The situation is bleak even for women in developed nations, with 74 percent of countries failing to take appropriate action against online attacks that can be vicious, said the report, which examines inequality as it relates to the Web. The report cited factors like social networks, which can help amplify attacks against women, and disturbing practices like revenge porn, in which people post intimate photos of former partners online.
But the larger issue is that police, courts and Internet service providers don't have appropriate training or legal guidance to deal with harassment situations. The Foundation called on these groups to form a more cohesive and effective method for enforcing laws while not infringing on personal freedoms.
IN-DEPTH
- Poll: 70 Percent of Young People Harassed Online
- Woman Catcalled More Than 100 Times in Single Day in NYC
- Twitter Unveils New Tools for Users to Report Harassment
