The center for women’s studies at the University of Baghdad organized a seminar entitled “Cyberbullying and technology-related violence”. The workshop aimed at explaining various forms of violence against women emerging from cyberbullying that is represented by abusive and degrading comments on internet as well as cyber extortion that often ends with honor killing (shame killing) or suicides.
The participants also discussed a range of electronic violence forms, its methods and legal treatments to this kind of crimes and the challenges created by the widespread use of smartphones post 2003 in Iraq in a way that provided new justifications for violence against women due to the right of privacy enjoyed in the use of these devices and which increased the censorship and prevention imposed on women. Also the lecturers discussed the unequal access to this technology in our community where many women were denied access to the internet which increased the so-called deprivation of resources and opportunities.
