The cost of speaking out: Cyber harassment and abuse against feminist activists in Pakistan

Abstract

In Pakistan’s increasingly digital yet deeply patriarchal society, feminist activists face systemic cyber harassment that seeks to silence, shame, and delegitimize their advocacy. This qualitative study explores the nature, impact, and coping mechanisms of such abuse through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 feminist activists, including women, men, and transgender individuals across diverse professions. Using thematic analysis grounded in Cyberfeminist Theory, the study identifies five key forms of online violence: gendered and sexualized harassment, coordinated troll attacks, moral policing, real-world threats, and reputational harm. The emotional and professional toll includes anxiety, depression, isolation, self-censorship, and career disruption. Yet, participants demonstrate remarkable resilience, employing a range of personal, technical, legal, and collective strategies to reclaim agency and continue their activism. While some turn to therapy and digital detox, others confront abusers, adopt privacy-enhancing tools, and build support networks. The findings expose the structural and intersectional nature of digital violence in Pakistan, where patriarchy, nationalism, and religious conservatism converge online. This study calls for platform accountability, localized digital safety protocols, and policy reforms that center the lived realities of activists. It contributes a Global South perspective to feminist internet studies and highlights the dual nature of the internet.