Ep.13 Gender Based Violence and Online Harms w/ Seyi Akiwowo

Globally, women are 27 times more likely to be harassed online. The online world is an extension or, in some ways, a mirror of offline realities and therefore violations of human rights and threats to our democracy also happen online. Over a third (34%) of Black, Asian or minority ethnic people (BAME) witnessed or experienced racial abuse in the seven months following the Brexit vote in June 2016, a TUC poll has found (1). Online abuse not only violates an individual’s right to live free from violence and to participate online but also undermines democratic exercises and good governance and, as such, creates a democratic deficit. In this episode we explore where the responsibility lies with online harms and where the future of research lies within this topic. 

Speaker Profile: 

Seyi Akiwowo (Shay-ee Aki-wo-wo)is the Founder and Executive Director of Glitch, a young not-for-profit organisation determined to end online abuse through education, campaigns and advocacy. Using her lived experienced and expertise Seyi travels the globe developing practical solutions with Governments, NGOs and companies to protect our online public spaces from hate and abuse. Seyi was named UK's Digital Leader of the Year and in 2018, she was name Stylist Magazine’s Woman of the Week. Her many achievements have been captured in books such as Slay in Your Lane and Misogynation. Seyi is Amnesty International’s Human Rights Defender and is part of the #ToxicTwitter campaign to end online abuse against women. 

Seyi was elected as the youngest black female Councillor in East London at age 23 and has had nine successful years working in politics and the charity and policy sectors both in the UK and Europe. She is also an expert facilitator in skills, political leadership and inclusion and delivers workshops around the world including London, Montenegro Kuwait and UAE. Seyi is also an inspirational speaker and writer and has written several critical pieces including for the Guardian and gives talks on widening the participation and representation of diverse groups in public life. She is a graduate from the London School of Economics, a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and recently became a Fellow of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.