Data Activism against Gender-Based Violence. A comparative analysis of bottom-up platforms for combating and raising awareness on the phenomenon

In contemporary societies, gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pressing issue at the forefront of political and media debates. Despite the recognised role of digital platforms as powerful tools for sharing experiences of violence (Harrington 2020), spaces for the creation of supportive communities, and means to spread new forms of digital feminist activism (Puente, Romero, Cupeiro 2017), such environments also perpetuate gender discrimination and give rise to forms of online misogyny (Alichie 2022; Ging, Siapera 2018). Furthermore, the algorithmic mechanisms governing these platforms (Hewa 2021) can influence the circulation and visibility of content, highlighting some stories at the expense of others (Fileborn 2019; Fileborn, Trott 2021). The theoretical-operational model of data activism represents a potential countermeasure in addressing such challenges (Milan, Gutiérrez 2015). It is based on socio-technical practices of activism, civic engagement and bottom-up participatory principles, and utilizes tools such as crowdsourced open data and interactive mapping, commonly used for emergency and relief operations (Meier 2015). In so doing, the model contributes to producing counter-hegemonic scenarios in which data serves emancipatory purposes (Milan, van der Velden 2016. In light of this, the research aims to investigate data activism projects in relation to GBV phenomena. The characteristics, goals, and operating methods of the platforms were analysed, both internationally and in Italy, on the basis of three key parameters – existing platform at the time of the research, high levels of visibility and synergy between online and offline practices. Internationally, two case studies were identified: Safecity (Adams et al. 2021) and Harassmap (Cochrane et al. 2019). These projects promote a set of activities, from participatory design with victims in online communities, to the creation of 'maps of violence' based on reports by victims and witnesses. They also engage in support and awareness-raising activities, as well as education and training programs, involving citizens and institutions directly. So far, at the national level, the only emerging case study is Wher (Sciannamblo, Viteritti 2021). The project relies on crowdsourced data freely shared by women to create an interactive map of streets and routes classified according to their perceived safety. However, initial results suggest only partial adherence to data activism principles, as the project is limited to street mapping and does not seem to translate to community training and awareness activities. Based on what has been observed thus far, data activism appears to be a relatively less widespread and well-known tool for combating gender-based violence in our country.