ZIMBABWE THE past two years have seen an exponential growth in the use of online technologies in Zimbabwe, but this comes at a cost, as cases of online genderbased violence targeting female journalists have also spiked. In September 2020, an X (formerly Twitter) account reportedly belonging to a senior Zimbabwean government official dismissed a report from South Africa Broadcasting Corporation reporter Sophie Mokoena by saying: “If I respond to this fool, I will trigger her menstrual cycle.” The X (formerly Twitter) account (Jamwanda2) has since been suspended for online bullying. In January 2021, Mokoena was also the subject of attacks from former Zanu PF director for information, Tafadzwa Mugwadi, who called her “an embattled marriage wrecker in newsrooms”, an “urchin”, a “little girl”, “a concubine” of a senior ANC leader. Mugwadi also accused Mokoena of dating one of Zimbabwe’s former cabinet ministers who had fled to South Africa. Female journalist Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa and media personality Samantha Musa (MisRed) have been bullied online. Most cases of online genderbased violence centre around sexual coercion and extortion, emotional blackmailing, cyber bullying, verbal attacks and defamation of character. RUVHENEKO Parirenyatwa 15