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.