Rising cases of cyberbullying and online harassment have caught the attention of creatives as Malawi joins the global 16 Days of Activism Against gender-based violence (GBV). In an interview, musician Rashley, who recently faced online backlash after speaking publicly about personal struggles, said cyberbullying has become a major barrier for creatives who rely on public platforms. “Cyber-attacks affect how you work and conduct yourself as a creative.
Sometimes being in the spotlight makes it hard to open up for fear of being labeled weak. It affects how you strategise and handle your craft,” he said. “When such platforms drag issues, people believe whatever is posted.
If these pages took the responsibility to protect others, things would be different,” he said. “People will say anything as they wish online, forgetting that before we are musicians, we are humans. I have been subjected to cyber-attacks before and it lowers one’s self-esteem and confidence,” she said.
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Film Association of Malawi (Fama) president Dorothy Kingston, who is also a public figure, said cyber-attacks have increasingly targeted creatives, exposing them to emotional distress. “I have gone through the worst, but I refuse to fold because there is so much to life. However, being in the spotlight, cyber-attacks still subject you to depression and a lot of pressure,” she said.
“There has been an increase in cyber-attacks and most victims are women, including musicians and others in the creative sector, forcing some to give up their craft. But we can’t stop the fight, we have to keep on pressing,” she said. Gondwe said in spite of the increase in these conducts the country has strong cyber laws to protect and regulate users and authorities. “Authorities should take prosecutions seriously so that people know there are consequences,” she said.
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