Technology-Facilitated Violence in the Indo-Pacific: A Scoping Review

Technology-facilitated violence (TFV) refers to a range of malicious behaviors facilitated in part or in whole through information and communication technologies, or digital media, to commit both online and face-to-face harms. Behaviors can include online harassment, stalking and monitoring behaviors, psychological and emotional abuse, sexual violence, and image-based sexual abuse (non-consensually creating, sharing, or threatening to share sexualized imagery). TFV is a growing problem globally, including in the Indo-Pacific region, where there has been an increase in digital technology use overall. This scoping review identified studies on TFV in the Indo-Pacific, examining regional trends and prevalence, impacts, perpetrator tactics, characteristics of victimization and perpetration, and available programs responding to TFV. To identify peer-reviewed literature, three databases were searched: Monash University Library, EBSCO, and ProQuest. Criteria for inclusion included peer-reviewed empirical studies published in English between January 1, 2019 and July 30, 2024 (immediately pre and post the COVID-19 pandemic) which focused on TFV among adults (aged 18+ years) in the Indo-Pacific. We identified 57 studies that explored TFV, with wide-ranging impacts, but there were clear gaps in research, particularly in non-Western settings. This review presents key findings on the trends, impacts, and characteristics of TFV in the Indo-Pacific and discusses implications for policy and programs, as well as suggestions for future research.