Transnational digital sexual abuse: can Africa's laws keep pace?
This article was originally published by ISS Today on 31 March 2026. Republished with permission.
By Titilope F Ajayi, Senior Research Consultant, Central Africa Observatory, Institute for Security Studies (ISS)
The recent targeting of African women exposes how tech-facilitated gender-based violence is outpacing law and accountability.
In February, a purportedly Russian national allegedly secretly recorded and circulated sexual encounters with women in Ghana and Kenya without their consent. The case involved women across multiple jurisdictions, with some footage monetised on a subscription-based Telegram channel.
The acts constitute tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) – the use of digital tools to harass, threaten, exploit or violate individuals on the basis of gender. It includes the non-consensual recording and distribution of intimate images, cyberstalking, doxxing, sextortion and coordinated online harassment.
TFGBV compounds the global crisis of violence against women and girls as digital technologies enable content to spread instantly and indefinitely in ways that amplify harm to victims. It raises issues around consent, privacy and the adequacy of existing legal protections. Cases across Africa – and globally – suggest that technology-facilitated abuse is becoming more common.
A 2024 study among Nairobi tertiary students found that nearly 90% had witnessed TFGBV, and 39% had experienced it. In Ghana, civil society monitoring has documented patterns of online gendered harassment, including image-based abuse and digital intimidation targeting women in public life. Prosecution data is sparse, and although cases of non-consensual intimate image sharing are emerging under the Cybersecurity Act, enforcement remains limited.
TFGBV in Africa affects minors and adults and is perpetrated by strangers, acquaintances and former partners. Motives range from monetisation and retaliation to coercion and opportunistic abuse. It moves through social media, paid platforms and viral messaging apps, accelerating and perpetuating harm far beyond the original act. Perpetrators vary from individuals to loosely networked opportunists – sometimes even state-linked personnel.
The tools enabling TFGBV are also evolving. AI-enabled smart glasses capable of discreet recording raise new privacy concerns. Such devices can capture intimate footage and transmit recordings for review by human analysts or AI systems capable of identifying faces and environments, potentially linking individuals to sensitive content.
For victims, TFGBV inflicts layered harms with both immediate and enduring implications. Beyond the initial violation, the digital circulation of intimate content strips individuals of control over where the material travels, how long it exists and who consumes it. Harm expands through repetition, social sharing and algorithmic amplification. Victims can face harassment, reputational damage, social exclusion and economic consequences.
For states, the implications are systemic. Failure to respond decisively erodes public trust, weakening confidence in the rule of law. Inconsistent enforcement undercuts commitments to gender equality and protection from violence. And when TFGBV persists unchecked, it narrows women's participation in public and political life.
Ghana and Kenya say the Russian-linked case is a criminal matter, not a moral controversy. Ghana's authorities have invoked the Cybersecurity Act, which criminalises the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and related threats. Kenya has activated investigative and prosecutorial mechanisms under its Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act. But Russia has no extradition treaties with Ghana or Kenya, so although the right laws exist, cross-border enforcement can be difficult.
Three structural pressures keep TFGBV ahead of enforcement. First is the disjuncture between instant digital harm and drawn-out cross-border evidence requests. Second, INTERPOL says most African states report gaps in cyber investigative and prosecutorial capability. Third, public debate often modulates towards judging victims rather than sustaining institutional focus on perpetrators and systems.
Governments must move beyond treating digital sexual exploitation as a narrow criminal justice issue. Platforms need clearer obligations around response times, evidence preservation and verified takedown procedures. Responses must prioritise victims' needs — fast, confidential reporting pathways, and strengthening public understanding of digital consent.
Key Takeaways
- Tech-facilitated gender-based violence is a growing transnational threat requiring urgent legal and institutional responses
- African legal frameworks exist but enforcement gaps, cross-border barriers, and capacity constraints limit their effectiveness
- Coordinated responses linking law enforcement, digital platforms, and survivor support systems are essential
Republished from ISS Today with permission from the Institute for Security Studies. The ISS is grateful for support from the members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the European Union, the Open Society Foundations and the governments of Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
