The Kathmandu Post. (1 January 2025). Unsafe spaces: Nepali youngsters are increasingly vulnerable to online intimate partner violence. The Kathmandu Post.

Abstract

In Nepal, where guardians often scrutinise young people’s lives, the internet offers them the freedom rarely available offline. The young can be whoever they want, express themselves, build a community, or find love. Yet the internet’s accessibility makes it vulnerable to being used in ways that could harm them. This is especially worrisome when online platforms are used to threaten, control or exploit young individuals in relationships. With young people increasingly relying on digital devices for social interaction, online intimate partner violence (IPV) is emerging as a pressing issue. This is evident in a recent research report released by ChildSafeNet and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI). The study, spanning ten districts across all provinces and involving 4,501 participants aged 16 to 24, discovered that one in four young people in relationships had faced online IPV.