Noor spoke about questioning the value of her work on occasion, whether it made any difference. Her mental health “takes a hit” if she finds herself reading too many comments.
Khan said that though the past decade had made her develop a thick skin and not get as affected, the times when “auctioning lists are taken out, or your personal faith is questioned,” gets under her skin.
It is imperative to preserve oneself amid these incessant, targeted attacks. However, one might find oneself unable to cope with them, needing a reliable and trusted support system.
If one faces such online gender based violence (OGBV), a guide on the UN Women’s website suggests reporting to the platform, the police, at one’s workplace or school and seeking help from civil society organisations.
Khan and Noor opt for many of these options, and more. Earlier, Khan “used to be very stingy” with blocking people on platforms, blocking maybe one in 20 troll accounts. “I have gotten far more…