A new study by UN Women has found that more than two-thirds of women journalists, human rights defenders, and activists have experienced online violence, with over 40% reporting related attacks in the real world.

The report, titled Tipping Point, highlights a growing surge in violence against women linked to the rise of social media and artificial intelligence. It surveyed more than 6,900 women across 119 countries, revealing how online abuse often spills into physical harassment.

“Online violence against women has become a growing global crisis,” UN Women said. “What begins on a screen can quickly fuel harassment, intimidation, and even real-world harm.”

About 41% of respondents said they faced offline attacks or harassment connected to digital abuse, including physical or sexual assault, stalking, verbal harassment, and swatting — a tactic that triggers false emergency responses.

Women journalists, social media influencers, and content creators focusing on human rights were most affected. The study notes that new technologies, such as deepfake images and manipulated content, are increasingly used to target them.

Lead researcher Julie Posetti said incidents of real-world harm linked to online attacks on women journalists have more than doubled over the past five years, with 42% of respondents identifying a “dangerous and potentially deadly trajectory.”

The report urges governments to strengthen laws, improve monitoring of technology-related violence, hold tech companies accountable, and encourage broader public support for victims.

“Women who speak up for human rights, report the news or lead social movements are being targeted with abuse designed to shame, silence and push them out of public debate,” said UN Women policy director Sarah Hendricks. “Increasingly, those attacks do not stop at the screen – they end at women’s front doors.”