In Benin, gender-based violence (GBV) remains a deep-rooted scourge — and digital technology has now become a space where it is reproduced and reinforced. Between 2020 and 2023, more than 94,001 GBV cases were officially handled. Of these cases, 86.17% of victims are women and girls (source: Matin Libre).
Psychological violence — insults, threats, harassment — is the most frequent form (source: Matin Libre).
This reality shows that GBV is no longer limited to physical or domestic violence: it is seeping into digital technology, workplaces and online interactions, threatening women's privacy, dignity and freedom.
Theme 1 — Abusive surveillance of women at work
What is abusive surveillance?
Abusive surveillance in a professional setting consists of subjecting an employee to monitoring of her private life, her digital communications, her phone and her messages — on the pretext of "security", "trust" or "control".
Why is it dangerous?
The employee can be reduced to a "shadow" to be followed, losing her personal freedom.
It creates a climate of fear, mistrust and alienation, and undermines mental health.
It is a form of psychological harassment that can lead to isolation, lower productivity or leaving the job.
What the figures say in Benin
Psychological violence — including gender-based violence — accounts for nearly 47% of GBV cases handled between 2020 and 2023 (source: Matin Libre).
Even if these statistics do not always distinguish the setting (home, work, digital), they reveal the scale of non-physical violence in all contexts.
Key message
"An employee is not a shadow to be followed, but a professional to be respected." Respect for privacy, even at work, is a fundamental right.
Theme 2 — Intrusion into digital work tools
Definition
This is unjustified access to a person's digital devices: computer, phone, work email, content, files, private emails — without their consent.
Why is it digital violence?
A work computer or phone must not be a place to be searched: it is a space of trust and productivity.
Intrusion violates privacy, can compromise private information and personal documents, and creates a climate of insecurity.
It undermines the person's dignity, instils fear and mistrust, and can discourage women from investing in digital technology.
Relevant data
According to a 2022 national survey, the prevalence of online violence — including threats, discrimination and harassment — reaches significant levels: threats ~7.7%, discrimination ~7.0%, harassment ~5.3% among people aged 15 and over (source: Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance).
These figures illustrate the real and worrying existence of digital violence — which can also concern the professional context.
Key message
"Her computer is not a place to go searching." Respect for the digital workspace is essential: nothing justifies intrusion.
Theme 3 — Digital discrimination at work
Context
In some workplaces, women are excluded or disadvantaged because they are considered more "vulnerable" to digital risks, or because there are fears that they will "compromise" the company's image. This results in: exclusion from digital tools, a ban on using a phone, refusal to assign them digital tasks, moral harassment or sexist insinuations.
Consequences
- Loss of professional opportunities and lack of access to digital training.
- Reinforcement of gender inequality in employment and digital technology.
- A sense of marginalisation and injustice, frustration, loss of confidence.
Key message
"You don't build a team by excluding women from digital spaces." Professional equality includes equal access to digital tools.
A concrete illustration
In the Beninese context in particular, excluding a woman from a digital project, an online publication or a professional contact on the pretext of "protection" is unfortunately common. These practices reinforce stereotypes and deprive women of their right to emancipation.
Concrete recommendations and solutions
For employers:
- Introduce internal policies on respect for privacy and for professional digital tools.
- Train supervisors and managers on employees' rights, gender equality and digital consent.
- Guarantee the confidentiality of work communications and prohibit unauthorised searches.
For women / employees:
- Know your rights: privacy, intimacy, respect.
- Document (messages, dates, screenshots) any form of intrusion or harassment.
- Seek support from associations, trade unions or NGOs, such as the National Women's Institute (INF), social protection services or AMP BÉNIN's Section for Feminism and the Protection of Women (SFPF).
For institutions / legislators:
- Update the legal framework to better cover digital GBV, digital intrusion and cyberbullying at work.
- Encourage awareness campaigns on digital respect, gender equality and consent in companies and public administrations.
Conclusion
Gender-based violence in Benin is no longer confined to homes or public spaces: it is entering workplaces, digital tools and professional communications. Abusive surveillance, intrusion into digital tools, digital discrimination — these realities threaten women's equality, dignity and freedom.
It is time to say NO — to protect women's rights and to promote digital respect and professional equality. Because a computer, a phone or a workplace should never become weapons of oppression.
Together, let us turn digital technology into a space of dignity, fairness and respect.
