Digital violence is an urgent challenge

Each year, the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence is a powerful reminder that violence against women and girls is not inevitable – it is preventable. I have always been very clear that it is not incumbent on women and girls to keep themselves safe; it is the responsibility of us all, as a community, to ensure that harmful behaviours are called out, challenged, and never tolerated.

Part of this vital prevention is confronting the reality of how harm is happening today, and increasingly, that harm is digital. The online world has transformed how young people learn, communicate, explore relationships, and unfortunately, how they are targeted, pressured, or exploited. Digital violence - whether through coercion, image-sharing, deepfakes, gaming platforms, or online harassment - is now one of the most urgent challenges we face.

STARS Dorset deal with this challenging issue every day. Their insights into the experiences of children, young people, and professionals help us understand the scale and complexity of the problem, and what must change. Their voice is essential and I am grateful to share it here, with Stephanie Lee, engagement team leader.

Working with young people across early years, schools, colleges, and universities has given us a front-row seat to how much their world has changed - and how complicated it has become. We work with young people from preschool age, laying the groundwork for respect and boundaries, up to young people in universities and colleges. Older age groups tend to be predominantly with boys who sometimes struggle to discuss some of the topics we raise. Consent is something they all say they understand, but relating this to real life situations is really important, and this is something we are consistently talking about.

Increasingly, it is the online world where things often begin to unravel. Rumours, screenshots, private jokes, or graphic content sit in the background, spreading silently and causing harm. It isn’t just social media anymore. Increasingly, the biggest concerns are gaming platforms and avatars - spaces where digital violence, grooming, sexualised role play, and harmful norms flourish and sexual scenarios are acted out through characters in a game. I find myself asking them why they think consent matters “in real life” but not when they’re online and sometimes they genuinely don’t see it as the same world.

We try to give teachers and professionals the tools to address this, especially in sixth forms and colleges, where the scenarios become more complex in relation to deepfake content, non-consensual sharing, revenge porn, and young people who don’t always know where to go to unpack what they’ve seen or experienced. One of the biggest issues is that nobody asks for consent before sharing something graphic or abusive - they just shove a phone in someone’s face and the impact lands before anyone has a chance to look away.

Universities bring another layer. So many students feel that once an intimate image is online, that’s it - there’s no safety net. We try to bridge those gaps, working with nightlife outreach teams, safe buses, and campus events, meeting people in moments where they’re open and receptive. Those brief interactions often become the starting point for deeper conversations later.

But sometimes the divide between young men and women feels wider than ever. Girls are swinging between fear and fierce defensiveness - some weaponising their vulnerability, others shutting down completely. Boys, on the other hand, are terrified of being accused of something or confused about what respectful behaviour even looks like. It can often feel like neither group really knows how to trust, communicate, or navigate intimacy safely. Harm happens unintentionally as often as intentionally, and miscommunication is pushing situations into territory that never would have escalated if they’d had the right education earlier.

However, there are positives. Almost every young person I meet has at least heard of consent. The challenge now is bringing it to life - helping them build the critical thinking, empathy, and communication skills to use that knowledge in a world that’s changing faster than any curriculum can keep up with.

My thanks to Stephanie for her powerful and confronting words. We have all – particularly parents - got to be willing to have these ongoing conversations with young people. It’s no longer about saying ‘don’t do something’; it’s about discussion and engagement and creating a safe environment for young people to talk about what they’re experiencing, and for parents to be curious about what’s happening. Online spaces may appear intimidating and baffling for adults, but this is where young people are, and we must understand what is happening there to ensure women and girls are safe.

I want to be clear; tackling Violence Against Women and Girls is a priority for me and an important part of my Police and Crime Plan. I am totally committed to working with any group that wants to make Dorset a safer place for women and girls. It is only by working together with organisations, the community and leaders that we will make a difference. The safety of women and girls is, and will remain, a key priority for me, my Office and all partners across the county.

David Sidwick

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner