Daily Mirror
Press release on research conducted by Women In Need (WIN) on violence facilitated through technology against women and girls in Sri Lanka. The survey revealed that one in five individuals knew of someone whose images had been doctored or shared non-consensually.
Press release; Cyber violence; Non-consensual image sharing
Yeheli powered by Dialog
The article defines cyber-crime, highlights Sri Lanka’s legal framework in brief, and lists key support institutions.
Legal protections; Support institutions
Jennifer Cobb | International Federation of Journalists South Asia Media Hub
The article discusses the serious and growing issue of online harassment of female journalists. It highlights women journalists facing targeted cyber-harassment, threats, and abuse that mirror offline harassment in response to their work.
Online gender-based violence; Women journalists; Cyber harassment
Avindu Shanesh Dissanayake | Ceylon Today
The article examines cyber harassment in Sri Lanka, emphasising how online abuse disproportionately affects women. It highlights how cyber harassment reflects broader patterns of SGBV in society. It stresses the need for improved legal frameworks, victim support, digital literacy, and societal change.
Cyber harassment
Lahiru Doloswala | The Morning
The article reports a surge in online harassment of Sri Lankan women, particularly politicians, including doxing, non-consensual image sharing, sexual abuse and coordinated disinformation. It warns such abuse may deter women from entering politics, exacerbating their existing underrepresentation and weakening democratic participation.
Online harassment; Political participation; Women politicians
Kushanthi S. Harasgama and Samurdhi Jayamaha | Social Sciences. 2023; 12(3):176. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12030176
The study suggests most victims of online harassment in Sri Lanka are likely women, aligning with global research. Data from the UK, US, Singapore, and India show 75–90% of non-consensual pornography (NCP) victims are female. However, the Sri Lankan findings remain tentative, requiring further quantitative research.
Online harassment
Nuha Nizar | National Institute of Social Development, Student Journal of Social Work (SJSW) Volume 01 – Issue 01
This paper examines the mechanisms and dangers of sexual online harassment, shedding light on how it manifests and the significant risks it poses to women's safety, dignity and overall well-being. It explores how societal and technological factors contribute to the proliferation of online sexual harassment towards women and its impact on them.
Sexual online harassment; Women’s safety and dignity
Sanjana Hattotuwa | Sanjana Hattotuwa
The article highlights how the Online Safety Act was touted as a means of protecting women and children online.
Online Safety Act
Fair First
List of helplines for women, including for social media threatening, bullying and harassment, breach of information, stolen personal content through social media, etc.
Helplines
Hithawathi
List of helplines for victim-survivors of TFSGBV
Helplines
British Council in Sri Lanka
The survey explores the intersection of youth, social media and violence. It finds that social media and youth are inextricably linked and in some instances, social media has indirectly or directly contributed to gender-based violence.
Youth; Social media and violence
K. S. Harasgama and M. A. P. M. Munasinghe | Faculty of Humanities and Sciences - SLIIT
This paper examines cyber sextortion, through an analysis of Sri Lanka’s reliance on existing criminal provisions to address cyber sextortion. It draws a comparison with Australia’s targeted but limited laws, concluding that Sri Lanka needs a specific cyber sextortion law.
Cyber sextortion; Online harassment
Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum
The Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum’s MediaCorps Watch hosted a Facebook Live discussion on combating online gender-based violence. The speakers highlighted how women face harassment through manipulation of online content, catfishing, stalking, and zoombombing. The discussion stressed digital literacy, privacy awareness, stronger institutional capacity, and community action as vital to preventing TFSGBV.
Digital literacy; Forms of TFSGBV
Nisheni Atapattu | Economy Next
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has urged the government to address the increasing online harassment of women, particularly politicians and activists. The HRCSL emphasized that such acts violate human rights and perpetuate gender inequality, discouraging women's participation in public and professional spheres
Cyber bullying; Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
The statement expresses serious concern over increasing incidents of abuse, harassment, and defamation of women on social media, especially women in public life (politicians, activists). It emphasises that these acts violate human rights, harm dignity, privacy and equality, and discourage women’s participation in public/professional spheres.
Cyber bullying; Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka; Social media
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) & UN Women Sri Lanka
This study shows that online harassment, cyberstalking, non-consensual sharing of images, threats, and hate speech are widespread and growing, with women, girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and ethnic minorities most affected. It highlights that TFSGBV silences victims and limits their participation online and offline. The study calls for stronger legal protections, survivor-centred support systems, improved digital literacy, and coordinated national responses to prevent and address TFSGBV
Legal gaps; Women and marginalised groups
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) & UN Women Sri Lanka
This brief of a more detailed research, highlights that TFSGBV is widespread, evolving rapidly, and disproportionately harming women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ persons.
Online violence; Marginalized groups
Jithmi Gunarathna | Search for Common Ground
This study finds that women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ individuals are especially vulnerable to online abuse—including harassment, blackmail, non-consensual image sharing, hate speech, and threats—and that these abuses often intersect with offline gender-based violence. It also highlights critical gaps in implementation, privacy, capacity, awareness, and sensitivity in institutions such as the police, courts, and cyber investigation agencies obstruct justice. The report also emphasises the need for legal reform.
Legal framework & implementation gaps Legal reform
