Sexualization and Dehumanization of Women by Social Media Users in Namibia

The advancements in current sources of information and technology have resulted our ‘real lives’ becoming inundated with entangled new media ‘virtual’ environments. Social promotes freedom expression, remains a largely unregulated interactive space, despite the various monitoring mechanisms introduced by social platform hosts owners to control hate speech other forms abuse. It is increasingly evident that protection anonymity on platforms proliferation misogyny offensive language directed towards women individuals belonging marginalised groups. This online misogynistic ultimately exhibits oppressing aim disempower, dehumanise perpetuate gender-based violence against women. paper discusses results exploring use dehumanising abusive expressed online, targets prominent Namibian politics business. feminist theory, especially sexualization objectification framework was employed conceptually analyse depictions dehumanisation Namibia. Narratives from media, such as Facebook Twitter public figures women, were presented justify cases insulting derogatory language. They expose implications sexualisation women’s human rights participate actively both spaces, its potential argues contemporary has failed create conducive environment for critical meaningful participation, which free sexualization, genderisation dehumanisation, providing recommendations environment.