ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the parallel rise in new information and communication technologies (ICTs) and women's increased political participation in developed and developing states. It argues that socio-psychological violence is the most widespread and damaging form of violence against women (VAW) in politics and that this specific type of violence intensifies in online and other ICT spaces due to their unique ability to rapidly amplify the reach, impact and harmfulness of socio-psychological attacks. The chapter challenges and builds on the growing literature regarding political violence and women in both academic and practitioner literature. It focuses on female victims of violence in the case of both gender-specific and non-gender-specific acts of political violence. The chapter outlines the empirical research that informs the discussion and then examines the role of ICTs in both facilitating and resisting gendered forms of political violence.
