'Digital Harassment, Deepfakes, Doxxing': Samantha Ruth Prabhu Highlights Online Threats As She Joins UN Women India

UN Women India has partnered with renowned actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu for the 2025 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign (25 November–10 December). Under the theme "UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls," the campaign addresses one of the fastest-growing forms of abuse globally. In a video message released today, she highlighted the harms women and girls face online, from harassment and stalking to doxxing, deepfakes and manipulated images.

Commenting on the occasion, Prabhu said, "As someone who’s been in the public eye, I understand how deeply digital violence affects lives, confidence, and safety, especially when it’s directed at women. Violence no longer happens only in physical spaces; it follows us onto screens, silences our voices, and destroys reputations. I am honoured to partner with UN Women India to demand platform accountability, strengthen legal protections, and remind everyone that behind every abusive comment or manipulated image is a real person whose dignity must be protected."

Violence against women and girls affects one in three women worldwide. Globally, 38 per cent of women have experienced online violence, while 85 per cent have witnessed it. In the Asia-Pacific region, 76 per cent of women parliamentarians face psychological violence online, and 60 per cent receive direct threats through social media. In India, cybercrimes against women have more than doubled in recent years, particularly online harassment and non-consensual sharing of intimate images, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

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Currently, 44 per cent of the world’s women and girls lack legal protection against digital violence. As the world marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, this year’s campaign reminds us that digital safety is central to gender equality.