In November 24 2004, a video clip of a
two teenagers engaged in intimate sexual acts was put on
sale in a popular Indian auction site, Bazee.com. Later,
it transpired that this clip was originally a multi-media
messaging (MMS) clip that was recorded by a 16-year-old
schoolboy of him and his girlfriend, using the built-in
camera on his digital telephone. He circulated the image
in school through MMS, and both students were expelled when
found out. Meanwhile, a 23-year-old engineering student
who obtained a copy of this allegedly put it on sale in
the auction site. As word spread and the story hit the front
pages of Indian newspapers, the student, the schoolboy and
the owner of the Internet site were all arrested. As of
January 2005, the case is still on trial.

In 2005, APC WNSP developed research
papers that look at the connection between information
communications technology (ICTs) and violence against women
(VAW). From sharing the findings with women's rights and
communication rights advocates in different spaces, we found
this to be an issue that compels further attention and deeper
engagement.

This is especially since many stakeholders
with access to decision-making powers in policy processes
such as the World
Summit on Information Society (WSIS), have begun to
argue on regulation of the internet by asserting protection
of women from harm in terms of pornography.
The problem with this is the conspicuous absence of women’s
own experiences and perspectives from these debates.

The root cause of VAW lies in unequal
power relations between men and women in almost all facets
of life. The field of ICTs faces the same gender disparity.
As a result, digital spaces like the internet, broadcast
and telecommunications have become defined and developed
according to dominant perspectives of masculinities.

This means that VAW that happened in physical
spaces like the home and streets, are now also taking new
forms and occurring in digital spaces. For example, domestic
violence abusers have used tools like spyware and GPS to
track and control their partner's mobility.

APC WNSP believes that both ICTs and VAW
affect our capacity to completely enjoy our human rights
and fundamental freedoms. Our right to move freely without
harassment or threats to safety also applies to digital
spaces.

This 16-day campaign aims to engage greater
participation by all civil society, especially grrls and
women ICT-users, to think about this issue in diverse contexts
and realities. By calling for all users to reclaim control
over technology, we are asking for the right to define,
access, use and shape ICTs for its potential to transform
power relations, towards a vision and reality of equality.

What is this action?

• A collaborative campaign to reclaim information & communications technologies (ICTs) to end violence against women (VAW).
• A call to everyone - especially grrls and women - to
  take control of ICTs and consciously use it to change
  power relations between men and women.
• For 16 Days (Nov 25 – Dec 10), to enable users
  to employ ICTs for activism against VAW.

Why Take Back The Tech?

• Creating digital spaces that protects everyone’s right to move freely, without harassment or threat to safety (echoing "Take
  Back The Night" campaigns).
• Realising our rights to shape, define, participate, use & share knowledge, information and ICTs.
• Addressing the intersections between communication rights and women’s human rights, especially violence against women.
• Recognising women’s historical and critical participation and contribution to the development of ICTs (e.g. Ada
  Lovelace, Grace
  Hopper...)

What are the goals
of this action?

• Build knowledge on how VAW is connected with ICTs, based on diverse experiences and realities.
• Support and promote local actions, priorities and advocacy issues on VAW & ICTs in different spaces and contexts.
• Collaboratively create strategies on using ICTs tactically to counter VAW.
• Changing the landscape, potential & paradigm of ICTs through active participation.
• To facilitate movement building on the human rights of women in relation to the field of ICTs.