Gender-based political violence: digital narratives and hate speech in Iberoamerica

Abstract

The study on gender-based political violence in digital environments across Ibero-America demonstrates that attacks against women participating in public life are not isolated incidents but sustained practices rooted in deeply entrenched patriarchal and racist structures within the region’s political systems. The research identifies three main patterns—delegitimization, criminalization, and sexualization—which disproportionately affect those holding high-visibility positions, such as presidents, vice-presidents, or mayors, and intensify when victims belong to groups historically discriminated against based on ethnicity, sexual orientation, or political ideology. These forms of aggression, which circulate and are amplified on social media without regard for national borders, not only harm women’s reputations and credibility but also send a deterrent message to others aspiring to positions of power, thereby reinforcing exclusionary structures. In light of this reality, the study highlights the urgent need to strengthen legal frameworks and reporting mechanisms, demand greater accountability from digital platforms in moderating harmful content, and promote a profound cultural shift to dismantle gender stereotypes, ensuring that women can exercise political leadership with respect, safety, and genuine equality. The study operationalizes hate speech as sustained, targeted expressions that stigmatize women based on gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or political affiliation, and analyzes its prevalence, linguistic markers, and amplification mechanisms on social media; findings show that such speech acts as a central driver of delegitimization, criminalization, and sexualization, prompting the evaluation of automated indicators and platform moderation capacity and concluding that containment requires specific technical responses and coordinated public-policy measures.