ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) is enabling violence against women at an unprecedented scale as new “rapidly evolving” threats emerge, campaigners have warned in a report today.

The End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) found widespread public concern, with 73 per cent saying the government must do more.

The report highlights the ways that violence against women and girls is increasingly being weaponised in political and public discourse, and reflects on the increased public, media and political attention on boys and men — from the manosphere to the “lost boys” narrative — highlighting potential pitfalls in current framings and approaches.

This includes documenting the spread of deepfakes and image-based sexual abuse, as well as the harms of AI companions on gender and relationship norms. 

It also compiles evidence of AI chatbots encouraging boys and men to abuse women and girls and spread attitudes that constitute misogyny and misogynoir.

Nearly a quarter of people think the internet is either already dangerous or has become more dangerous for women and girls in the last year.

Young people feel this most, with 61 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 believing the internet has become more dangerous in the past 12 months.

Over half of women and 71 per cent of those aged 18-24 think AI has made it easier to harm women and girls online.

Nearly 80 per cent of women and 65 per cent of men believe more regulation or laws around AI is needed for the protection of women and girls.

Ahead of the May elections, the report highlights a trend of violence against women and girls being instrumentalised to serve wider agendas, particularly racist and anti-migrant narratives.

EVAW warns that this weaponisation increases harm for marginalised women, distorts public understanding, fuels division and misinformation, and undermines efforts to prevent violence and support survivors.

EVAW interim director Janaya Walker said: “The government has a clear mandate from the public to act. 

“We welcome [recent government] strategy, and as part of its delivery, we seek stronger regulation of AI and tech companies, sustained investment in prevention and specialist services, and a commitment to challenge the narratives and systems that enable and excuse abuse.”

The government aims to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.