Introduction
Every year, from 25 November to 10 December, individuals, communities, organisations and governments around the world unite for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence — a global campaign led by UN Women that began in 1991. Its purpose is ambitious in its vision yet grounded in everyday realities: to eliminate violence against women and girls in all its forms, across all contexts, and across all countries.
(Campaign overview: UN Women, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, https://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/16-days-of-activism)
In recent years, the movement has sharpened its focus on the digital dimensions of gendered violence. As our lives, relationships and workplaces increasingly migrate online, technology has become fertile ground for new forms of abuse — and a new frontier for prevention and protection.
For Australian workplaces, this shift carries significant implications. Many employers still view domestic and family violence as something that exists outside the office walls. But the evidence is clear: abuse, including its tech-facilitated forms, follows victim-survivors into their workplaces, into their devices, and into the communications infrastructure they depend on to do their jobs.
See: ABC News, Domestic and family violence a workplace issue say business heavyweights, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-09/domestic-family-violence-workplace-business-champions-of-change/100604328
The 16 Days of Activism provides an opportunity for organisations to understand this issue deeply, acknowledge their responsibilities, and commit to building workplaces where online abuse has no place — because there is truly #noexcuse.
1. What Is the 16 Days of Activism?
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that begins on 25 November — the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — and ends on 10 December — Human Rights Day. These dates symbolically link gender-based violence to human rights and underscore that such violence is not inevitable: it is preventable.
The movement was launched more than 30 years ago by activists at the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute held by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership. Today it is coordinated globally by UN Women, and supported by governments, civil society organisations, unions, workplaces, educational institutions, media companies and individuals.
UN Women leads global messaging, resources and campaign themes. Many governments and organisations adopt local themes to reflect emerging issues. Increasingly, the focus has shifted toward:
- technology-facilitated abuse,
- coercive control,
- online harassment,
- abuse on social media,
- image-based abuse,
- digital surveillance, and
- the weaponisation of everyday tech.
These issues are particularly relevant as digital ecosystems become inseparable from our daily work and personal lives.
2. Why 16 Days of Activism Matters to Australian Workplaces
2.1 Domestic and family violence does not stay at home
Australian research repeatedly shows that domestic and family violence has serious impacts on employment, productivity, workplace participation and safety.
According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), at least one in six women in Australia has experienced violence from a partner (ABS Personal Safety Survey, 2021). Many of these women are employed, and their experiences directly affect their capacity to work safely and effectively.
The ABC reports that Australian business leaders — including the Champions of Change Coalition, major banks, law firms, mining companies and community service providers — have recognised that domestic violence is a workplace issue, not a private matter (ABC News, 2021).
Women experiencing abuse may face:
- increased lateness or absenteeism
- exhaustion, distraction, trauma or burnout
- harassment or monitoring through workplace communication tools
- stalking at or near the workplace
- threats that escalate when they attempt to attend work
- compromised account security or tech safety at work
- interference with their professional reputation
For some, the workplace is the only place where they may feel physically and psychologically safe. For others, it’s where abuse continues unabated through digital channels.
2.2 Technology has reshaped how abuse occurs
Technology-facilitated abuse is now one of the fastest-growing forms of gender-based violence.
The eSafety Commissioner reports increasing trends in:
- digital stalking
- monitoring and surveillance
- abusive messaging
- account hacking
- location tracking
- impersonation
- threats via social platforms or messaging apps
- misuse of smart home devices
- image-based abuse
(eSafety Commissioner, Technology-Facilitated Abuse, https://www.esafety.gov.au)
The Australian Institute of Family Studies explains that tech-facilitated abuse exists on a spectrum from seemingly “minor” intrusions, like incessant texting, to extremely serious behaviours such as spyware installation, deepfake threats, or financial fraud carried out through digital accounts. (AIFS, Technology-Facilitated Coercive Control, https://aifs.gov.au/resources/practice-guides/technology-facilitated-coercive-control)
As workplaces become increasingly digital-first, the lines between personal and professional technology use blur — creating additional vulnerabilities.
2.3 Tech-facilitated abuse is gendered
While anyone can be targeted, the evidence overwhelmingly shows that the victims of tech-abuse are primarily women. This is consistent with broader patterns of gender-based violence. Technology simply provides new tools for old patterns: power, control and domination.
Gendered tech-facilitated abuse includes:
- threatening messages through workplace chat tools
- perpetrators calling or messaging during work hours to disrupt employment
- monitoring work emails or logins
- coercing employees into revealing work passwords
- misusing workplace information to harm reputations
- threatening to contact employers with false allegations
- digital surveillance via shared accounts or cloud systems
- tracking through company devices or apps
In this way, tech-facilitated violence often intersects directly with employment.
3. How Technology-Facilitated Abuse Enters the Workplace
3.1 Through personal devices brought into work
With hybrid and flexible work now mainstream, employees use a blend of personal and company devices. If a personal device is compromised (e.g., through spyware, coercive access, or shared cloud accounts), the perpetrator may gain visibility into:
- work emails
- corporate files
- contacts
- schedules
- meeting links
- location data
- workplace messaging apps
This exposes not only the victim-survivor, but also the workplace.
3.2 Through workplace accounts and systems
Even when device security is strong, account security may be weak — especially if employees share devices or passwords under duress.
A perpetrator may:
- access a victim’s work calendar
- read or intercept work emails
- impersonate the employee
- join online meetings
- track their work attendance
- learn their whereabouts
- sabotage work tasks
- damage their professional reputation
This type of digital intrusion can be profoundly traumatising and career-limiting.
3.3 Through hybrid work and remote environments
Remote work can exacerbate tech-facilitated abuse because:
- employees may work in shared homes with abusive partners
- monitoring is easier when work happens online
- perpetrators may “listen in” on meetings
- coercion can occur silently during work hours
- employees may struggle to seek help privately
Research during and after the COVID-19 pandemic consistently highlighted increased risks for women working from home.
4. Why Workplaces Have a Critical Role to Play
4.1 Legal responsibilities
Under Australian workplace health and safety laws, employers must protect workers from risks to health and safety — including psychological harm.
With strengthened Respect@Work sex discrimination reforms (2022–2023), employers now also have a positive duty to prevent sexual harassment and sex-based harassment, which can include online forms of abuse.
Domestic and family violence affecting the workplace can create foreseeable risk, meaning employers may have obligations to:
- assess risk
- implement safety plans
- secure systems
- provide flexible work
- ensure confidentiality
- support affected employees
4.2 Ethical responsibility and culture
Workplaces shape culture — and culture shapes safety.
When organisations:
- normalise disrespect,
- ignore inappropriate tech use,
- minimise online harassment, or
- fail to respond to abusive behaviour,
they create environments where gendered tech abuse can flourish.
Conversely, when workplaces set clear expectations about respectful behaviour and responsible technology use, they help prevent digital abuse from taking root.
4.3 Economic and organisational impact
Domestic and family violence costs the Australian economy billions of dollars every year (KPMG, The Cost of Violence Against Women and their Children, 2021).
Tech-facilitated abuse contributes to:
- lost productivity
- lower job retention
- burnout and fatigue
- mental health impacts
- decreased innovation
- reputational risk
- cybersecurity vulnerabilities
Supporting affected workers not only upholds safety — it strengthens organisational performance.
5. Understanding the Gendered Nature of Tech Abuse
5.1 Why women are disproportionately targeted
Gendered violence is fundamentally about power and control.
Technology expands the perpetrator’s reach, allowing them to:
- monitor a partner around the clock
- continue abuse even after separation
- sabotage employment (a key pathway to independence)
- infiltrate social and professional networks
- impersonate or humiliate the victim
- threaten or coerce through digital channels
Women may be more vulnerable to certain forms of tech abuse because of gender norms, unequal economic power, caregiving responsibilities and structural discrimination.
5.2 Intersectional risks
Certain groups face even higher risk, including:
- First Nations women
- migrant and refugee women
- women with disability
- LGBTQIA+ people
- young women
- women with limited financial independence
These groups may face additional barriers to reporting or escaping digital abuse.
5.3 The role of workplaces in breaking gendered patterns
When workplaces proactively address tech-facilitated abuse, they contribute to broader gender equality goals by:
- supporting financial independence
- creating safe disclosure pathways
- empowering employees to seek help
- preventing perpetrators from misusing workplace tech
- reducing stigma and silence around abuse
- reinforcing societal expectations about respect and safety
Workplaces become not just employers, but agents of social change.
6. Strategies for Workplaces During the 16 Days of Activism
Below are practical actions organisations can take to support employees, protect systems, and participate meaningfully in the campaign.
6.1 Raise awareness and build internal capability
- Share educational materials on technology-facilitated abuse
- Host internal workshops or webinars
- Incorporate training into induction programs
- Partner with family violence experts for professional development
- Provide leaders with scripts and guidelines for safe conversations
UN Women and the eSafety Commissioner both offer free campaign resources that can be adapted for workplaces.
6.2 Strengthen digital safety and security
Employers should review and reinforce:
- multi-factor authentication
- strong password policies
- secure device usage guidelines
- remote work safety protocols
- screen-sharing and meeting security controls
- safe storage of personal information
Security isn’t just an IT issue — it is a safety strategy for victim-survivors.
6.3 Develop clear policies on respectful technology use
This includes:
- expectations about messaging and communication
- boundaries around contacting colleagues outside work hours
- bans on harassment, monitoring or intimidation via workplace systems
- protocols for reporting inappropriate tech use
- transparent consequences for misuse
Policies should explicitly recognise that technology can be weaponised.
6.4 Provide tailored support for victim-survivors
Support options may include:
- additional personal or paid family violence leave
- flexible work hours
- discrete access to safe rooms or private communication areas
- temporary adjustments to email or communication channels
- changes to location or team structure
- safety planning support
- referrals to specialist services
Confidentiality and consent are critical at all stages.
6.5 Audit workplace technologies for potential misuse
Workplaces can collaborate with IT and HR to identify risks such as:
- shared inboxes
- uncontrolled access to calendars
- insecure communication platforms
- devices that store personal data
- apps that track locations unnecessarily
- outdated security settings
Every digital system has potential safety implications.
6.6 Support employees who disclose
Responding well can be life-saving. Effective responses include:
- listening without judgement
- believing the employee
- ensuring confidentiality
- validating their experience
- offering choices and autonomy
- avoiding pressure to take particular action
- linking them with support services
Managers should never act without the person’s consent unless there is an immediate risk of harm.
7. The Role of Leadership in Ending Tech-Facilitated Abuse
7.1 Leaders set the tone
Research shows that employees mirror the behaviours and expectations of their leaders. When executives speak openly about the importance of safety, respect and digital responsibility, the organisation follows.
Leadership actions may include:
- endorsing 16 Days events
- issuing a CEO statement
- participating in awareness training
- modelling safe and respectful tech use
- allocating resources for prevention initiatives
7.2 Leaders shape systems and culture
Beyond symbolic leadership, practical commitments matter:
- investing in secure digital infrastructure
- ensuring policies have teeth
- prioritising training
- resourcing HR and employee support functions
- collaborating with experts and advocates
Workplace systems must reflect the organisation’s values.
7.3 Leaders influence change beyond the workplace
Organisations have public influence — through customers, suppliers, investors, and communities. Businesses can use this influence to end gendered tech abuse by:
- sharing educational content externally
- partnering with community organisations
- supporting advocacy efforts
- participating in public events
- encouraging supply chain partners to adopt safe practices
This positions the organisation as a proactive leader in gender equality and human rights.
8. The Bigger Picture: Technology, Work and Gender Safety
8.1 The rise of hybrid workplaces
Hybrid work is here to stay. With it comes:
- increased reliance on digital tools
- blurred boundaries between home and work
- elevated risks of covert surveillance
- new pressures on cybersecurity
- challenges for managers detecting distress
Workplaces must adapt their safety frameworks accordingly.
8.2 The ongoing digital transformation
AI, smart devices, cloud tools, geolocation apps and connected home systems amplify the potential for tech abuse. Each new technology introduces:
- new risks
- new pathways for monitoring
- new methods of intimidation
- new safety challenges for employees
Workplaces must stay ahead of these shifts.
8.3 The digital safety gap
Many employers still underestimate:
- the prevalence of tech-facilitated abuse
- the risk it poses to organisational cybersecurity
- its psychological impacts
- its gendered nature
- the workplace obligations that arise
The 16 Days of Activism provides a timely reminder that digital safety is an essential component of employee wellbeing.
9. Why This Issue Is So Urgent
9.1 High rates of violence in Australia
Violence against women in Australia remains alarmingly prevalent:
- 1 in 4 women has experienced intimate partner violence
- 1 in 6 women has experienced stalking
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience violence at disproportionately high rates
(Sources: ABS Personal Safety Survey 2021; AIHW Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Reports)
Tech-facilitated abuse is not a fringe issue — it affects thousands of employees across Australia.
9.2 Separation is the most dangerous time
Tech abuse often escalates when a woman attempts to leave a relationship. During this period:
- perpetrators may intensify monitoring
- they may use digital tools to maintain control
- they may use workplace information to track her
- abuse may become more unpredictable and dangerous
Workplaces can play a stabilising, protective role.
9.3 Perpetrators adapt quickly
Digital abuse evolves faster than most workplaces respond.
New platforms, apps and tools emerge rapidly, and perpetrators exploit vulnerabilities quickly.
Workplaces must be adaptable and proactive, not reactive.
9.4 Victim-survivors often suffer in silence
Many employees do not disclose abuse because of:
- fear of negative professional consequences
- shame or stigma
- uncertainty about support options
- fear of being believed
- fear that perpetrators will escalate if they seek help
- concerns about confidentiality
This makes it even more important that workplaces create safe, non-judgemental pathways for disclosure.
10. How Workplaces Can Take Part in the 16 Days of Activism
Here are practical campaign activities:
- Run a digital safety awareness week
- Host lunchtime learning sessions on tech abuse
- Publish a statement of commitment
- Encourage staff to wear orange (UN Women’s campaign colour)
- Share survivor-centred content internally
- Review all technology policies and update them
- Support local domestic violence charities
- Provide staff with resources from the eSafety Commissioner
- Launch improved digital safety protocols
- Offer free or discounted cybersecurity checks for employees
- Provide leadership training on coercive control and tech abuse
Campaign participation should be meaningful, not symbolic.
11. The Future of Workplace Safety: Integrating Digital and Physical Wellbeing
11.1 Moving from awareness to prevention
The next frontier for workplace safety is integrating digital and physical wellbeing. This includes:
- understanding technology as a potential vector of harm
- ensuring cybersecurity intersects with psychological safety
- adopting a gender lens in digital policy design
- embedding digital safety into WHS frameworks
11.2 Normalising digital respect
Workplaces must set the standard by:
- encouraging respectful communication
- preventing bullying or harassment via tech
- promoting safe digital practices
- shutting down harmful behaviours early
Digital respect is the new workplace etiquette.
11.3 Collaboration is essential
Ending tech-facilitated abuse requires cooperation between:
- HR teams
- cybersecurity professionals
- leaders and executives
- frontline managers
- unions
- Employee Assistance Programs
- family violence experts
- government agencies
No single department can solve it alone.
12. Conclusion: There Is #NoExcuse for Online Abuse
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is more than a symbolic period — it is a call to action. For workplaces, it highlights a rapidly growing challenge: the rise of technology-facilitated abuse and its profound impact on employee safety, wellbeing and performance.
Tech-facilitated abuse is:
- common
- gendered
- harmful
- preventable
And workplaces play a crucial role in the solution.
By strengthening digital safety, supporting affected employees, educating teams, and fostering respectful digital cultures, organisations become part of a global movement to end violence against women and girls — online and offline.
There is, and always will be, #noexcuse.
