cybercrime

Fraud, data piracy, seeking partners on the internet: women in Burkina Faso are as much victims as perpetrators. From Ouagadougou to Banfora via Bobo-Dioulasso, and from Ouahigouya to Dori, all towns with an internet connection are affected by this phenomenon. However, the fight against this crime is in the tentative stages, if not altogether non-existent. Legislation is still under development.

The different forms of online violence against women should be covered by criminal legislation to provide adequate protection and redress. However, laws are not enough. There is also a need for education, prevention, the development of defence mechanisms and a legal system that is capable of addressing these issues without subjecting the victims to further victimisation. Carlos Gregorio, a…

The story of Cynthia Armistead, the founder of the site Cyberstalked ( www.cyberstalked.org ). The site originally began as a place to refute the defamation spread about Cynthia and her family across the internet. In this story, Cynthia shares her and her daughter experiences of being target of online harassment and stalking over…