An analysis has found that women in Bangladesh are being systematically targeted with sexually aggressive and gender-based harassment through Facebook pages that mimic mainstream news outlets. The findings were published by fact-checking organization DismissLab, based on a review of over 4,000 posts across five pages.
The study identified a pattern in which these pages used misleading names, logos, and visual formats similar to established media organizations to create confusion and amplify reach. Among posts related to women, a significant portion contained abusive language, including slurs based on gender and sexuality, as well as derogatory commentary on women’s bodies, attire, and personal lives.
According to the analysis, 23% of all reviewed posts focused on women, and of those, 28% were classified as sexually aggressive or harassing. Among 277 identified abusive image-based posts, 66% contained gender- or sexuality-based slurs, 25% involved general insults, and 9% included ideological or appearance-based disparagement. Identical visual posts were often circulated simultaneously across multiple pages.
The report found that women in public and professional spaces were disproportionately targeted, including actors, academics, journalists, and political figures. Among those most frequently targeted were media personalities and public figures, with a high concentration of abusive content directed at women in entertainment and politics.
Researchers and affected individuals noted that such harassment functions to undermine women’s participation in public discourse by shifting attention away from their work and toward personal attacks. The study also highlighted concerns about the role of engagement-driven social media systems in amplifying such content.
Source: Prothom Alo
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