Tackling online gender-based violence (GBV)

Online gender-based violence (GBV) in sport can show up in different forms depending on whether it’s grassroots or the high-performance sector. An example is abusive comments on social media by fans, either directed at a young female athlete or seen by children and young people who are online.

Women and girls are more at risk online

According to the Government's research, one in five internet users in the UK are children. In 2023/24 there were almost 2,900 Childline counselling sessions about online harm and safety or online sexual abuse and exploitation. 

According to the latest report by NSPCC, only 9% of girls report feeling safe in online spaces.

The design features of online platforms can facilitate the sexual abuse and harassment of girls and be exploited by perpetrators to target girls with misogynistic bullying, threats and hate speech.

According to the NSPCC, girls encounter every category of online sexual risk more frequently than boys:

• more girls than boys experience online sexual harassment and most types of intimate image abuse
• more experience technology-assisted child sexual abuse by an adult
• and girls are more commonly depicted in child sexual abuse material.

One in 10 women in the European Union report having experienced cyber-harassment since the age of 15, according research by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. 

NSPCC data shows police recorded 7,263 Sexual Communication with a Child offences in the last year, almost double since the offence came into force in 2017/18. Where gender was known, 80% of children targeted were girls.

The harm may happen online, but its impact can continue to impact at home, in schools and communities. 

Grassroots sport is where play can be explored, confidence grows and friendships are made. But as local clubs increasingly use digital platforms such as social media and messaging apps for communication and promotion, children and young people face new risks. From cyberbullying to grooming, these harms can have lasting effects on mental health and cause children to drop out of sport.

This issue doesn’t exist in isolation. It connects to broader safety concerns for women and girls in sport, both online and offline. 

The scale of the problem in grassroots sports

While elite athletes often make headlines for online harassment, the issue is just as real in grassroots sport.

According to most recent research:

• 33% of safeguarding cases reported to UK National Governing Bodies in 2022/23 involved online activity.
• 87% of non-contact sexual abuse cases occurred online.
• 93% of female runners have experienced harassment in public spaces, often forcing them to change routines, according to research from Welsh Athletics

Why grassroots clubs are at risk

Volunteers are the backbone of local sport, and many take on the role of Club Welfare Officer, but they may lack training in digital safeguarding or an awareness of what gender-based violence online can look like. 

Informal communication channels being used to keep families up to date on club activities, such as WhatsApp or Instagram, can also increase risk of harm.

Parents may underestimate the online dangers in sport settings, especially if they have teenagers who have access to their own social media apps. 

Campaigns leading the way

Fair Game (Women’s Aid NI)

This six-week programme uses sport to challenge harmful attitudes and promote respect and equality among young people. Delivered in local football clubs, it equips players with skills to build healthy relationships and calls on men and boys to challenge inappropriate behaviour. 

Own the Night (Welsh Athletics)

Focused on women’s safety when running after dark, this campaign addresses fears that force women to change their routines in winter. With 93% of female runners reporting public harassment, Own the Night empowers women to keep active and educates communities on allyship and practical safety measures.

Let’s Lift the Curfew (This Girl Can)

This nationwide movement highlights how safety concerns restrict women’s freedom to be active outdoors. Research shows 72% of women change their activity routines in winter, often avoiding certain areas or sticking to well-lit routes. The campaign calls for cultural change, better planning, and community action to make public spaces safer.

What can you do?

Digital safety policy must include:

• no one-to-one messaging between adults and minors.
• parental consent for all online communications, regardless of age.

Education for volunteers and parents should include:

• mandatory safeguarding training on online risks
• sharing resources that highlight online risks and prevention
• the importance of challenging misogynistic behaviour

Secure communication channels should include:

• password-protected platforms monitored by two trained staff
• no personal accounts

Empower young athletes by:

• teaching digital literacy and reporting
• encouraging open conversations about online safety

Support systems should include:

• named welfare officer for digital concerns
• mental health resources and helplines available

Elite pathways promise opportunity, but for young athletes, they also bring exposure to online abuse. Social media has amplified harassment, sexist abuse, threats, and hate speech. Gender-based violence online is a growing threat in professional sport, and teenagers in academies or junior teams are especially vulnerable.

One of the challenges that differentiates elite sport from grassroots is the need to have a social media presence for careers and sponsorship. This can often lead to normalisation of abuse, as in “it’s just what happens when you make yourself visible”. It does not have to be this way and all clubs need to reinforce respect online. 

Being online is part of having a successful career in sport. It's a real challenge to help young people build their digital resilience and to post responsibly.

The scale of the problem in elite sport

• According to research by United Against Abuse Online, 90% of sport federations agree that abuse could force athletes to leave their sport.
• Abuse spikes during high-pressure events like FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Olympics and major tournaments, with thousands of harmful posts monitored online.
• The most frequently mentioned forms of abuse seen online, according to Ofcom and KickitOut are sexism, misogyny, sexualisation, and double standards for women in sport 

‘A female TV sports presenter will get horrendous amounts of abuse [online], often just about what she's wearing. People will say things like call her a ‘slut’ and that she's wearing her outfit to try and attract male attention...that kind of stuff. All just based on what she's wearing on TV.’ - Taken from ‘Online hate and abuse in sport: a report by Ofcom in partnership with Kick it Out’

Once a hateful or abusive comment is posted, it can often be followed by hundreds or thousands of additional harmful comments.

Impact on mental health

Online abuse correlates with anxiety, depression, and burnout. Studies show 1 in 3 elite athletes consider quitting sport due to online harassment.

Abuse peaks after match-day controversies, fuelling emotional distress and reputational damage.

In a recent Ofcom and KickItOut research project the participants described feelings they experienced because of online hate and abuse included:

• numbness, resignation and tiredness
• helplessness and depression
• questioning self-worth, feelings of self-doubt
• fear, anxiety, paranoia
• isolation and loneliness 
• guilt due to family members also being
  targeted
• overwhelmed
• anger

Campaigns leading the way

• United Against Online Abuse (UAOA): FIA-led coalition uniting governments, sports bodies, and tech platforms to combat digital hate through research, education, and legal action.
• IOC AI Safeguarding System (Paris 2024): Real-time monitoring of thousands of accounts in 35+
  languages to detect and remove abusive content before athletes see it.
• World Rugby x Signify Group: Proactive social media threat detection for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
• FIA Education Programme: Digital resilience training for athletes and officials, setting a benchmark for safeguarding in motorsport.

What can you do?

• Have dedicated safeguarding officers for youth teams
• Make reporting mandatory and take zero-tolerance towards any abuse, online or offline
• Monitor social media during junior tournaments and competitions
• Teach digital literacy and resilience programs for athletes, coaches, and staff
• Raise awareness campaigns targeting fans to curb toxic behaviour
• Offer confidential mental health support for all children and young people - initiatives like BetterHelp’s Stop the Madness campaign for free therapy during high-pressure seasons.
• Have clear reporting and disciplinary procedures

There are many challenges with the online world that make it difficult to keep our children and young athletes safer, such as rapidly evolving technology, the worldwide nature of abuse which makes it difficult to know which countries' laws apply and use of fake identities on digital platforms.

We need to work together to raise awareness of the ever-changing risks but also find solutions.

• Our digital policy and practice in sport must include protections against online violence and be reviewed regularly to respond to the nature of present, emerging and future threats online.
• We need to be agile and forward thinking in our measures for keeping people safe (online) in sport.
• Online spaces in many ways support violence, intolerance and aggression. Let’s be open to such an understanding which can shift an emphasis towards better safeguarding people using these spaces.
• All sports, whether grassroots or high performance, team or individual, have an important and active role to play in creating a safer environment where gender-based violence and all forms of abuse are not tolerated and where children and young people can feel safer.
• Conversations matter. Small ripples can make a difference, so let’s keep the conversation going. 

Governing bodies, sponsors, and tech platforms share responsibility for creating safe digital spaces. By combining policy, technology, education, and mental health support, we can protect young athletes and ensure sport remains a source of inspiration, not intimidation.

Learn more about keeping women and girls safer online by visiting 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence | UN Women – Headquarters 

Free discussion and learning opportunity 

Topic: Toxic Masculinity and the Manosphere with Dr Carol Carson, the former Director of The AIM Project, . 
Date: Tuesday 24 February 2026 at The Great Hall, Queens University Belfast

Topic: Femicide in Northern Ireland during the COVID‐19 lockdown: A model for differentiating male offender characteristics with Rea Johnston and Sonya McMullan 
Date: Monday 9 March 2026 at University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Room MU211

If interested please confirm your attendance identifying which session with paul.stephenson@nspcc.org.uk in advance.