Twenty years ago, the Internet as we know it did not exist, save for a few early adopters. Most of these pioneers were men, with women comprising less than 1% of users. This rarity of women appeared to prompt unsolicited comments of a sexual nature but as they were few and far between, and the potential challenge seen today remained unacknowledged. However, just recently, Pew Internet Life reported that American use of the internet is at an all-time high of 73%. The result?

Sexually- and racially-charged comments continue to reach new heights. Disinformation has led to deaths and voter suppression. And online hate speech is seen as freedom of expressions instead of incitement to violence. 

Stop Online Violence Against Women Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy and research organization addressing the lack of protections for women, especially women of color. Our work focuses on digital voter suppression and disinformation, as well as online violence against women, with the goal of informing policy and legislation at the local, state, and federal levels. We report on issues that impact the intersection of culture, media, public policies, and technology, and work to change social media companies’ accountability.

Our Team

We are a small, diverse team of people committed to racial and social equity work, led by Shireen Mitchell, a preeminent voice in the digital space focused on addressing the role that technology, data, and disinformation play in the discrimination and abuse of women and girls of color.

Learn about Stop Digital Voter Suppression™ .