According to data from the UN and the World Bank, a large proportion of women and girls around the world remain without effective legal protection against cyberbullying and digital violence, despite the fact that these forms of attacks are spreading at an ever-increasing rate. The digital sphere is then becoming a space where real violence takes place, with impacts on women’s health, safety, and public participation.

The Embassy of the Czech Republic in Beijing joins the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with the symbolic color orange and through its own activities. This year, our social media posts are focused on violence in the digital space and the role played by witnesses, such as colleagues and people in online communities. Even a "stupid joke" or an inappropriate comment in a chat can be the beginning of a toxic environment, while timely response and support from a colleague or friend can stop violence before it spreads beyond the screen.