Tackling Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence: SLF Supports Groundbreaking Research in 2025

• • Designing inclusive, tech-aware GBV response models;
  • Advocating for stronger digital safety policies at national and community levels;
  • Equipping frontline workers with trauma-informed digital safeguardingskills;
  • And ensuring survivors are not left behind in the digital age.

Who’s Involved:

• • Vashi Impact Group (VIG): Lead implementer and research design team.
  • Aid Tech Ally: Digital safety experts contributing technical guidance and analysis.
  • Hope for Women and Children Organisation: Hosting the fieldwork and engaging local communities.
  • Sabir Lewis Foundation: Funding partner and champion for scale-up and future institutional funding.

What Comes Next:

The findings of this research will be compiled into a comprehensive report by mid-2025. The report will not only inform SLF’s future programming around GBV and digital safety but will also serve as a critical tool in engaging institutional donors and international stakeholders. “At SLF, we believe that safety and dignity should not stop at the screen,” said a spokesperson for the Foundation. “By supporting this research, we are helping ensure that young people—especially women—can navigate the digital world with confidence, protection, and power.”

Join the Movement

This is just the beginning. The Sabir Lewis Foundation envisions a future where technology uplifts—not oppresses. Stay tuned for updates, impact stories, and ways to support our ongoing commitment to gender equality in the digital era. May 2025 marks a critical milestone for the Sabir Lewis Foundation (SLF) as we step into a transformative partnership addressing one of the most urgent yet overlooked forms of modern violence: tech-facilitated gender-based violence (GBV). In collaboration with the Vashi Impact Group (VIG) and Aid Tech Ally, SLF is proud to support a targeted research initiative to uncover the lived experiences of young women age group (16-25) and affected by digital forms of GBV. Hosted at the Hope for Women and Children Organisation, the research will take place over one intensive week in April 2025 and will explore how the internet, smartphones, and other technologies are being misused to harm, silence, and control. From cyberstalking and online harassment to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and digital surveillance, tech-facilitated GBV is a growing threat—especially for women, girls, and marginalized communities. And yet, this form of abuse often goes unreported and unaddressed. SLF is stepping in not only as a funder but as a strategic partner committed to safeguarding digital dignity.

What This Research Will Do:

This initiative aims to:

• • Document the prevalence, forms, and psychological impact of tech-facilitated GBV on youth in both refugee and host communities.
  • Capture survivors’ voices through in-depth interviews, case studies, and focus group discussions.
  • Uncover the gaps in current policies, laws, and protection structures.
  • Produce an evidence-based research report with actionable recommendations for future program design, donor proposals, and advocacy campaigns.

Why It Matters:

The rise of digital technology has reshaped the landscape of communication and opportunity—but also the tools of harm. As mobile penetration increases across vulnerable communities, so too does the risk of tech-based violence. Yet, policy and programming have struggled to keep up.

This research isn’t just academic. It’s the foundation for:

• • Designing inclusive, tech-aware GBV response models;
  • Advocating for stronger digital safety policies at national and community levels;
  • Equipping frontline workers with trauma-informed digital safeguardingskills;
  • And ensuring survivors are not left behind in the digital age.

Who’s Involved:

• • Vashi Impact Group (VIG): Lead implementer and research design team.
  • Aid Tech Ally: Digital safety experts contributing technical guidance and analysis.
  • Hope for Women and Children Organisation: Hosting the fieldwork and engaging local communities.
  • Sabir Lewis Foundation: Funding partner and champion for scale-up and future institutional funding.

What Comes Next:

The findings of this research will be compiled into a comprehensive report by mid-2025. The report will not only inform SLF’s future programming around GBV and digital safety but will also serve as a critical tool in engaging institutional donors and international stakeholders. “At SLF, we believe that safety and dignity should not stop at the screen,” said a spokesperson for the Foundation. “By supporting this research, we are helping ensure that young people—especially women—can navigate the digital world with confidence, protection, and power.”

Join the Movement

This is just the beginning. The Sabir Lewis Foundation envisions a future where technology uplifts—not oppresses. Stay tuned for updates, impact stories, and ways to support our ongoing commitment to gender equality in the digital era.