Amnesty International flags digital abuse and online targeting of LBQ women in UN submission
A new submission to the UN Independent Expert details how criminalisation, weak safeguards and technology-facilitated violence combine to expose lesbian, bisexual and queer women to heightened risks, including in digital spaces.
Amnesty International has submitted written input to the United Nations Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, documenting patterns of abuse affecting lesbian, bisexual and queer women across multiple regions. The submission prepared for presentation to the Human Rights Council in June 2026 draws on research conducted between 2004 and 2025.
One of the central focuses of the document is the growing role of digital technologies in facilitating violence and discrimination. Amnesty reports cases of online outing, doxing, blackmail and harassment, as well as the use of digital platforms to amplify threats and stigma. In some contexts, online abuse has translated into offline harm, reinforcing existing patterns of exclusion and vulnerability.
The submission references research from Uganda in 2024 examining the impact of criminalisation in digital spaces, alongside broader global findings on technology-facilitated gender-based violence affecting women and LGBTI people. It also cites cases in Thailand in which women and LGBTI human rights defenders faced online harassment and sexualised threats, with consequences for their safety and participation in public life.
Amnesty situates these digital harms within a wider legal and institutional context. According to the submission, criminal laws targeting same-sex conduct, discriminatory practices by authorities and limited access to protection mechanisms increase exposure to violence while restricting avenues for redress.
The document concludes that safeguarding LBQ women requires not only legal reform but also effective enforcement, access to justice and measures to address technology-enabled abuse. It is intended to inform the Independent Expert’s thematic analysis and to support further discussion at the Human Rights Council
