Deepfake Technology and Gender-Based Violence: A Scoping Review
Lisa Lazard1, Rose Capdevila1, Emma L Turley2
1The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Trauma, Violence & Abuse
|November 22, 2025
Summary
Deepfakes are increasingly used in online violence against women (OVAW), a form of gender-based violence. Research must analyze the intersectional power dynamics of deepfake technology and its impact on silencing women online.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
Background:
- Online violence against women (OVAW) is a growing global concern.
- Deepfakes represent a significant manifestation of gender-based violence, attracting increased academic attention.
- Existing research on deepfakes in gender-based violence requires further exploration of complex issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore emerging complexities in academic understandings of deepfake technology's use in gender-based violence.
- To examine the impact of these issues on current knowledge regarding deepfakes and OVAW.
- To identify research gaps and guide future investigations into deepfakes and online sexual violence.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
- Searched six databases using 12 keywords, yielding 3148 articles.
- Filtered to 64 articles focusing on psychology and social sciences for in-depth analysis.
Main Results:
- Deepfakes are utilized to silence women in online public spaces.
- There is a need to acknowledge inherent gendered systemic discriminations within deepfake technology and its applications.
- Current research often focuses on detection and credibility, overshadowing critical power dynamic analyses.
Conclusions:
- Future research should shift from deepfake detection to analyzing intersectional power dynamics in gender-based violence.
- Understanding how deepfakes silence women online is crucial.
- Addressing the gendered systemic discriminations embedded in deepfake technology is essential for combating OVAW.
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