STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT 2021 22 occurring offline, which then spread onto online platforms. For instance, in 2019, Malawian WhatsApp groups were awash with a video of a woman who was being stripped naked by men for wearing political party regalia. The woman was stripped naked and ridiculed by men of an opposing political party. The men were eventually arrested and charged with insulting the modesty of a woman, robbery, and use of force under the Penal Code. (19) In Namibia, an Internet Society Namibia Chapter (ISOC) campaign raising awareness on online violence, shared a story of NBC journalist Blanche Goroses, who had suffered violent rape and murder threats in the wake of the 2019 general elections. (20) (21) Goroses’ case became one of the few recorded in the country. Another female journalist reported of incidents where empty coffins were sent to her on Facebook Messenger after her newspaper published an article she wrote. In the ISOC campaign, other female newsmakers and celebrities such as musician Top Cherri and entrepreneur/ analyst and musician ML Musik as well as a former Miss Namibia finalist Rejoice Marowa narrated their ordeals of having been at the receiving end of damaging remarks and derogatory comments about their bodies or sexuality via social media platforms, which they see as a form of forcing them to tone down their online presence. (22) (23) Further cases of violence online reported involve a celebrity, who filed a defamation case against a politician who called her a “prostitute”. (24) Female politicians are constantly compared to animals or are taunted about their dressing. In an environment where existing laws are outdated, gender blind and at most leave legal interpretations to courts, the situation is exacerbated. (25) (26) (27) The Zambia report shows the role of political events in worsening the violence online, further revealing how women in the limelight are faced by the violence online. When former President Edgar Lungu announced his female running mate, Nkandu Luo, she faced cyberbullying as she was targeted over what she wore to the press briefing. In this instance, social media in Zambia was awash with memes of her outfit, illustrating the harsh realities that female politicians face online. Another case was that of Iris Kaingu, a young woman who aspired for a parliamentary seat in the 2021 elections. (28) She was the centre of attraction because of a “sex tape” that was leaked in 2011 and kept emerging during the campaigns leading up to the 2021 elections. In another incident, a socialite called Mwizukanji sued and received a cash settlement of K50 000 (US$2,900) from a person, who defamed and harassed her on Facebook. (29) It is not clear what law was used in this lawsuit, however, it is noteworthy that a cyberrelated crime received judgment in the complaints favour. In Mozambique, in 2019, Fátima Mimbire, a female human rights defender and former Centre for Public Integrity (CIP) researcher said she had received intimidating messages and death threats on social media. (30) These abusive messages were allegedly sent by FRELIMO militants, who have publicly advocated for violence against Fátima on social media. In May 2019, Alice Tomás, a FRELIMO Member of Parliament called on Facebook for Fatima “to be raped by 10 strong and energetic men to teach her a lesson”. (31) (32) In response, civil society called for the State to investigate the threats on social media networks and take action to guarantee the protection of activists. These attacks against women activists on social media networks were condemned by international organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. (33) (34) In Angola, Freedom House (2021), reported that there were sporadic government efforts to manipulate online content. It was further reported that online activists and journalists are sporadically targeted with threats, though they face less violence and harassment than journalists who operate mainly in the traditional media sphere. (35) (36) Some independent online news outlets report receiving regular calls from government officials directing them to tone down their criticism or refrain from reporting on certain issues. (37) As a result, civic activists, journalists, trade unionists, politicians and academics are increasingly muting their voices largely because of reprisals and state-sponsored harassment In Zimbabwe, an interview with the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe revealed that female journalists and female politicians bear the brunt of cyber bullying, harassment and non-consensual sharing of intimate images. (38)