Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans: Selected Case Studies and a Cybersecurity Governance Approach Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance 20TH ANNIVERSARY Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans: Selected Case Studies and a Cybersecurity Governance Approach Case Studies Aida Mahmutović, hvale vale Vasilika Laçí Introduction and Conclusion Eugenia Dorokhova 1 Copyright page Published in Switzerland by the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) DCAF Geneva P.O. Box 1360 CH-1211 Geneva 1 Switzerland © The Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) 2021 First published March 31st, 2021 DCAF encourages the use, translation, and dissemination of this publication. We do, however, ask that you acknowledge and cite materials and that you refrain from altering the content. Authors: Eugenia Dorokhova, hvale vale, Vasilika Laçí, Aida Mahmutovic Editor: Franziska Klopfer Design by DCAF and DTP studio Cover photo: John Schobrich @johnschno Copy-edited by Cherry Ekins About this Publication This text was produced as part of the DCAF project ‘Enhancing Cybersecurity Governance in the Western Balkans’ (2018–21) and funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The views expressed are those of the authors alone. Acknowledgements The authors of this paper wish to thank Vasilika Laçí for her generous support and voluntary contribution in co-authoring the Albania case study. Vasilika Laci`s knowledge of the context, language and politics in Albania, as well as her friendship and trust, made the research for this case study possible. The authors would like to sincerely thank Callum Watson and Megan Bastick for their invaluable expertise and suggestions on earlier drafts of this publication. Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans: Selected Case Studies and a Cybersecurity Governance Approach About DCAF DCAF – Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance is dedicated to improving the security of states and their people within a framework of democratic governance, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and gender equality. Since its founding in 2000, DCAF has contributed to making peace and development more sustainable by assisting partner states, and international actors supporting these states, to improve the governance of their security sector through inclusive and participatory reforms. It creates innovative knowledge products, promotes norms and good practices, provides legal and policy advice and supports capacity-building of both state and non-state security sector stakeholders. DCAF’s Foundation Council is comprised of representatives of about 60 member states and the Canton of Geneva. Active in over 80 countries, DCAF is internationally recognized as one of the world’s leading centres of excellence for security sector governance (SSG) and security sector reform (SSR). DCAF is guided by the principles of neutrality, impartiality, local ownership, inclusive participation, and gender equality. For more information visit www.dcaf.ch and follow us on Twitter @DCAF_Geneva. DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance Maison de la Paix Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2E CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 730 94 00 [email protected] www.dcaf.ch Twitter @DCAF_Geneva 3 Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans: Selected Case Studies and a Cybersecurity Governance Approach Table of Contents Introduction: Cybersecurity Governance and Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans – Connecting the dots ..............................................................................................................................5 Case Study 1 - Albania: Understanding gendered cyberviolence and discrimination: “Who’s Tabu?” ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 Case Study 2 – Bosnia and Herzegovina: Gendered cyberviolence enabled by loopholes in the traditional legal framework: “She who dares to challenge patriarchal structures shall face never-ending cyberabuse” ......27 Case Study 3 - Serbia: Gendered cyberviolence: “To exist is to resist” ................................................................................................................................................ 41 Conclusion: Summary of key findings and trends; Addressing cyberVAWG through principles of good governance; Areas of gender and cybersecurity requiring further research ............................................................ 55 4 Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans: Selected Case Studies and a Cybersecurity Governance Approach Introduction: CYBERSECURITY GOVERNANCE AND CYBER VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE WESTERN BALKANS – CONNECTING THE DOTS EUGENIA DOROKHOVA 5 Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans: Selected Case Studies and a Cybersecurity Governance Approach Introduction: Cybersecurity Governance and Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans – Connecting the dots Eugenia Dorokhova Over the last two decades, the internet has become embedded into nearly all areas of our day to day lives, in both noticeable and silent ways. We have become dependent on Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) and access to online services for work, pleasure, information, and communication. Such access is increasingly important for human development and networked ICTs have become a driving force in global economic growth. State infrastructures in sectors such as transportation, finance, commerce, medical care, and military defence are becoming ever more reliant on network connectivity. The possibility of any networked device receiving communications requests has, however, in many ways introduced new vulnerabilities and security risks. These security risks in cyberspace – or cybersecurity risks – need to be addressed and mitigated. Cybersecurity can be defined both as the state of being protected in cyberspace and the measures taken to protect cyberspace and its users’ assets.1 As such, cybersecurity not only requires technical solutions that help keep ICTs and services safe against attacks and incidents, it also requires a system of governance that sets out the roles and responsibilities of those involved in providing, managing, and overseeing cybersecurity. When thinking about possible models of cybersecurity governance, it seems useful to look at the concept of good governance in the security sector (SSG). Good SSG aims to make the state’s security sector more effective and accountable within a framework of democratic civilian control, respect for human rights and the rule of law.2 It therefore addresses many of the challenges that cybersecurity governance is also faced with. Good Governance and Cybersecurity Good SSG applies principles of good governance to the security sector, including: Accountability, Transparency, Rule of Law, Participation, Responsiveness, Effectiveness and Efficiency.3 Good security sector governance furthermore requires the justice and security sectors to understand people`s diverse needs and meet these needs as part of security provision, management and oversight.4 Applying the human security lens to cybersecurity means that this safety in 1 The Oxford Dictionary online defines cybersecurity as: “The state of being protected against the criminal or unauthorised use of electronic data, or the measures taken to achieve this.” The International Telecommunications Union has the following definition of cybersecurity: “Cybersecurity is the collection of tools, policies, security concepts, security safeguards, guidelines, risk management approaches, actions, training, best practices, assurance and technologies that can be used to protect the cyber environment and organisa- tion and user’s assets.” (Recommendation ITU-T X.1205) 2 For more information, see: DCAF Security Sector Reform Backgrounder, Security Sector Governance: Ap- plying the principles of good governance to the security sector (2015). Available online at: https://www.dcaf.ch/securi- ty-sector-governance-applying-principles-good-governance-security-sector-0 3 DCAF Security Sector Reform Backgrounder, Security Sector Governance: Applying the principles of good governance to the security sector (2015), p. 3. Available online at: https://www.dcaf.ch/security-sector-gover- nance-applying-principles-good-governance-security-sector-0 4 DCAF, OSCE/ODIHR, UN Women (2019), Security Sector Governance, Security Sector Reform and Gender, in Gender and Security Toolkit, Geneva. Available online at: https://www.dcaf.ch/tool-1-security-sector-gover- nance-security-sector-reform-and-gender 6 Cyber Violence against Women and Girls in the Western Balkans: Selected Case Studies and a Cybersecurity Governance Approach cyberspace should not only concern itself with protecting data and networks but also aim to enhance human security online. Below follows a description of these principles and an explanation of how they could be applied in cybersecurity.5 • Accountability: There are clear expectations for security provision, and independent authorities oversee whether these expectations are met and effectively impose sanctions if they are not. Cybersecurity requires the close cooperation between public and private actors, much more so than any other security sector. For example, state cybersecurity actors need to work closely with providers of online services