Urgent action needed to prevent surge in digital violence in Africa, experts say

Digital use is growing exponentially across Africa, bringing new online threats. Photograph: Per-Anders Pettersson

Activists and lawyers in Africa are calling for urgent action to protect women, girls and boys as digital violence surges across the continent.

A massive rise in internet users, coupled with huge numbers of people aged under 30, has fuelled an increase in gendered online violence across the continent, according to experts, by giving perpetrators new tools to control and silence women and girls, and influence boys.