The rising tide of cyberbullying in Chad: a digital battle for women

In 2016, a traumatic event left an indelible mark on Chad. A young high school student named Zouhoura was abducted and subjected to a horrific gang rape. The ordeal was compounded when her attackers distributed footage of the assault across social media. Ten years later, the landscape of digital violence remains a grim reality, frequently weaponized against women in the country.

In Chad, the simple act of sharing a photo or video online can trigger a wave of targeted harassment. Human rights defenders are particularly vulnerable to these attacks. Epiphanie Dionrang, who leads the Ligue tchadienne des droits des femmes, has experienced this firsthand. Her public advocacy has made her a frequent target of online abuse. In this discussion, she explores the nature of these digital threats and the necessary steps to protect victims.

A conversation on digital safety

Question: Epiphanie Dionrang, as the president of the Ligue tchadienne des droits des femmes, why is the issue of cyberbullying so central to your mission? Is there a direct connection between women’s rights and online safety?

Epiphanie Dionrang: Absolutely. Cyberstalking is a facet of the broader spectrum of violence that women and girls endure daily in our society. I have personally been a target of intense online backlash because of my activism. It is a specific form of gender-based violence that we must confront.

Question: What specific forms does this online harassment take?

Epiphanie Dionrang: It manifests in many ways. It includes intimidation, sexist slurs, and hate speech across various platforms. For women, it often escalates to threatening phone calls and direct attempts to silence us through fear.

Question: What is the toll on the victims? How does it affect their lives?

Epiphanie Dionrang: The psychological and emotional impact is profound. It creates a state of constant stress, anxiety, and lingering fear. Victims often suffer from depression, severe psychological distress, and a complete collapse of self-esteem. Harassers frequently use private information to humiliate their targets, leading to deep shame and social isolation. In the most tragic circumstances, it can even lead to suicidal thoughts. This often results in women withdrawing from public life and practicing self-censorship on social networks. The consequences ripple out into their social, professional, and economic lives.

Question: Do we know who these harassers are? Is there a typical profile?

Epiphanie Dionrang: It varies. Sometimes they are people known to the victim, such as former acquaintances. Other times, they are anonymous individuals using fake profiles who simply disagree with our views.

Question: How can victims protect themselves or seek justice?

Epiphanie Dionrang: It is vital to gather evidence. This means taking screenshots of every message, comment, and profile. You must record links, dates, and locations. While one should report these crimes to the authorities, the justice system in Chad remains a significant hurdle. I have personally filed complaints for physical assault, yet the search for the perpetrator continues without resolution. A major issue is that Chad still lacks a dedicated digital legal code.

Question: Chad does have a national computer security agency and a cybercrime unit that conducts awareness programs in schools. Is this not enough?

Epiphanie Dionrang: It is nowhere near enough. We rarely see concrete results from these agencies. Awareness is only one part of the equation; we need active prevention and strict enforcement. Many victims remain silent because they feel there is no real mechanism to protect them.

Question: Chadian filmmaker Aché Ahmat Moustapha produced a documentary titled “Harcèlement 2.0, La résilience des Africaines connectées.” The goal was to break the silence. How can we encourage more women to speak out?

Epiphanie Dionrang: I am featured in that documentary, and we have screened it widely to encourage dialogue. However, women need safe spaces where they can be heard and believed without immediate judgment. Too often, people on social media blame the victim without understanding the context. This film is a powerful advocacy tool that has helped many women in Chad and across the continent, like in Sénégal, to finally speak their truth.