WISH Launches 16 Days of Activism, Urges Action to Stop Digital Violence Against Women and Girls

The Wadadli Initiative for Self-care and Healing (WISH) officially launched the 2025 observance of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence on Tuesday, aligning with this year’s UNiTE campaign theme: “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls.”

The international campaign, which runs from November 25 to December 10, is focused on the rising prevalence of online abuse, including cyberstalking, image-based exploitation, deepfake pornography, doxxing, and other forms of digital harm that disproportionately target women and girls.

WISH Founder Chaneil Imhoff said digital violence has become one of the fastest-growing threats to mental health and safety, particularly for women in public life such as journalists, activists, content creators and those in politics.

“We cannot speak honestly about mental health in Antigua and Barbuda without confronting the reality of gender-based violence, especially the digital forms that are becoming harder to escape,” Imhoff said. “Digital violence leaves deep emotional scars and can lead to real-life harm. This year’s 16 Days of Activism is a call to break that silence, centre survivors, and build systems that protect rather than punish.”

Throughout the 16 days, WISH will use its platforms to highlight survivor stories, share educational resources, and engage digital safety advocates working to create safer online environments.

The organisation is encouraging schools, workplaces, faith groups, and community leaders to take practical steps, including hosting digital-safety discussions, reviewing policies related to online harassment and data protection, and supporting agencies that provide counselling and legal assistance to survivors.

“Ending gender-based violence, whether online or offline, is not the responsibility of survivors but the responsibility of all of us,” Imhoff added. “If we say we care about mental health, then we must also care about the digital environments that are causing harm. This is the moment for us to move from awareness to action.”

WISH says the campaign serves as a starting point, emphasizing that sustained engagement is necessary to build a society where women and girls can participate safely both online and offline.

Members of the public are invited to follow WISH’s social media pages (https://www.instagram.com/wishwadadli) for resources, stories, and digital safety tools, as well as practical steps to support survivors and challenge harmful online norms.