This helpdesk report summarises the evidence on the societal-level impacts of online violence against women and girls. It covers four areas: the economic costs of online violence, how social norms around violence against women are shifting as a result of online behaviour and discourse, how online violence affects political and civic spaces, and the evidence linking online violence to conflict dynamics and violent extremism.

Among its key takeaways, the report finds that harmful online discourse and behaviour both reflects and amplifies the same social norms that underpin other forms of violence against women and girls, often in racist and discriminatory ways. It also finds that online violence has significant consequences for political and civic space, threatening women's right to participate in public and political life.