Digital Abuse of Somali Women: Why This Growing Harm Matters

Sometimes people think it’s normal to write a mean comment online or to put a joking emoji on a woman’s photo. They might think it’s funny, just a small thing, or “not a real crime online.” But think for a moment, do you know that a few words you write can hurt someone deeply?

Somali society has been through big hardships. War, displacement, and poverty made life very hard. Because of this, some people may not fully feel that digital abuse is serious, since they have been through worse. But just because someone survived big challenges does not mean we can ignore the harm done to others. The truth is, online harassment is real. It can hurt. It can burn someone emotionally, make them cry, or even stop them from sleeping at night.

Many Somalis do not yet fully understand that a mean comment on a woman, or using her photo without permission, is a crime. Some don’t realize that in today’s world, digital abuse can be more dangerous than physical abuse. Sometimes victims stay silent because society has taught them: “just ignore it,” “it’s the internet,” or “what happened to you? You posted your picture yourself.”

But ignoring someone’s pain does not make it go away. Digital abuse is not only something “that happens online.” It is a real injury that cannot always be seen. Many Somali women today struggle with their images being shared illegally, manipulated, or altered using AI without their knowledge or ability to defend themselves.

Another hard truth is that many people don’t understand how technology makes abuse more powerful. A photo you post once online can be copied, cut, misused, or shared in a story you never created. Today’s AI can even create fake images that look like you. And then who will prove it’s not real? Who can protect you?

Our society is not yet ready to see how the internet has become a place to attack women and silence their voices. There are no laws in the country to protect victims. There are no organizations to respond quickly. Even when you try to complain, they say your problem is “not serious enough.”

But the harm is real. The embarrassment you fear every morning, your photo being shared, threatening calls, or family turning against you for something you didn’t do is real. Losing confidence, being afraid to post a picture, or being scared to comment online is real. Feeling alone is real.

The problem is bigger than “a mean comment.” It is about a society that is unprepared, laws that do not exist, and technology that moves faster than our understanding. If we do not talk about it, define it, and claim the right to digital protection, no one else will.

Digital abuse is not something we should ignore. It is an invisible wound spreading among Somali girls and women. It needs voices, it needs laws, it needs awareness and it starts with one word that can hurt someone.

By Farhio Muraad, Editor-in-Chief, Bilan Media