Following rising reports of online abuse and harassment towards women and girls, South Yorkshire Police have started an awareness campaign.

Launched on The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the ‘Know More’ campaign aims to reinforce that abusive messages are a crime which have real-life impacts on women and girls who experience them.

The campaign covers cyberflashing, cyberstalking, threats of harm, rape, and death, and the intentional sharing of false information online. Some of these are new offences introduced under the Online Safety Act 2023.

Assistant Chief Constable Hayley Barnett said: “Not only do we see violence against women and girls in the offline world, but sadly nationwide we’re also witnessing a concerning rise in the number of reports of online abuse and harassment with stalking and harassment accounting for 23% of all online offences.

“But we know it is still heavily underreported, so we’re encouraging everyone to understand the seriousness of these appalling behaviours and recognise them for what they are – crimes that have long lasting implications for victims.”

While everyone is at risk of online harm and abuse, women with public online profiles, such as influencers, politicians or journalists, have been found to be disproportionately affected.

Three quarters of women working in journalism in the UK have experienced rape or death threats, harassment and stalking, according to recently published data.

In support of the campaign, one journalist chose to share her story of online abuse and the impact it had on both her work and personal life.

The campaign also features real-life stories from women across South Yorkshire, including South Yorkshire Police employees and students from the University of Sheffield.

South Yorkshire Police said: “Know More calls out online abuse and harassment for what it is. It can happen on any digital device and in any location – at home, at work, in town, or on public transport.

“It’s never just a joke, a bit of banter or for fun.”

For more information on the campaign, click here.