TFGBV in Mauritius: Understanding the Rise of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence

Executive summary

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) refers to acts such as online harassment, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, sextortion, non-consensual sharing of intimate images (often termed “revenge pornography”), impersonation via fake profiles, and other digitally mediated abuses that harm people because of gendered power relations and social norms (UN Women, 2025). In Mauritius, TFGBV is increasingly visible in official cyber-incident reporting channels (notably the national online reporting system MAUCORS/MAUCORS+) and in public discourse, with women and girls repeatedly described as disproportionately impacted (Chitamun, 2025).

Available evidence indicates a sustained rise in reported online incidents, including categories that map directly onto TFGBV. For example, incidents reported to CERT-MU and reflected in the Mauritius GBV Observatory’s CERT-MU dashboard show “online harassment” rising from 462 (2020) to 1,026 (2023), with “cyberbullying” rising from 96 (2020) to 290 (2023) (MRIC, 2024).

Local media summarising CERT-MU’s 2024 trends report describes online harassment as the most reported cybercrime category in 2024 (1,324 cases) and notes increased sextortion reports (178 in 2024) (Chitamun, 2025). For January–November 2025, media reporting on MAUCORS+ tallies 5,233 incidents, with women reported as the majority of complainants (2,773 women vs. 2,460 men), and online harassment again the largest category (1,414) (Nuckchhed, 2025). These figures are not a prevalence estimate of TFGBV in the general population, but they are a strong signal of rising reporting volume and demand for response capacity (MRIC, 2024).

Mauritius has built a comparatively dense “digital complaints infrastructure,” anchored by the online reporting system MAUCORS+ which connects CERT-MU, the Cybercrime Unit (Mauritius Police Force), the Data Protection Office, and ICTA, and which explicitly lists “online harassment,” “cyberbullying,” and “sextortion” among reportable incident types (Government of Mauritius, 2026).

Parallel GBV support and referral services exist through the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare’s Family Welfare and Protection Unit (FWPU), including a 24/7, free domestic-violence hotline (139), a network of Family Support Services, and referral to NGO shelters (Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, 2025). However, service “joining” between cyber-reporting pathways and survivor-centered GBV case management appears only partially institutionalised in publicly available guidance, creating operational risks: victims may report online harms but not receive coordinated psychosocial, legal, and safety planning support (or vice versa) (Government of Mauritius, 2026).

Assumptions for proposal design: the intended primary audience is policymakers and implementers; the intervention timeframe and budget are unspecified; recommendations therefore prioritise scalable, modular actions with clear monitoring indicators (Government of Mauritius, 2026).

Landscape and prevalence of TFGBV

What the best-available data can and cannot tell us. Mauritius does not appear to publish a single, consolidated TFGBV prevalence estimate (e.g., % of women experiencing TFGBV in the last 12 months), and TFGBV is not consistently separated from broader cybercrime categories in publicly available statistics (MRIC, 2024).

The most informative quantitative indicators currently available for TFGBV come from

(a) incident reporting systems (CERT-MU/MAUCORS+), and

(b) selected GBV system data (e.g., domestic violence reporting), which together provide trend signals but not population prevalence.

Trend signals from CERT-MU incident reporting (2020–2023). The Mauritius GBV Observatory’s CERT-MU dashboard (covering selected incident types) shows a strong upward trend in total reported incidents from 1,890 (2020) to 4,139 (2023). Categories closely aligned to TFGBV show notable increases over the same period: “online harassment” (462 → 1,026), “cyberbullying” (96 → 290), and “sextortion” (68 → 133). “Identity theft” also rises sharply in this period (222 → 442, peaking in 2021), which can intersect with TFGBV via impersonation and reputational harm (MRIC, 2024).

Reported volume escalation in 2024–2025 (as relayed by reputable local media). A 2025 L’Express report summarising CERT-MU’s annual trends publication describes 2024 as showing 1,324 “online harassment” cases and 178 “sextortion” cases (33.8% higher than 2023). The same report states that women reported more incidents than men in 2024 (2,914 incidents reported by women vs 2,305 by men) and that women and girls were more likely to report cybercrimes such as online harassment, sexual blackmail, identity theft, and romance scams (Chitamun, 2025).

For January–November 2025, L’Express reports 5,233 logged incidents, again with women as the larger share of complainants (2,773 women vs 2,460 men), including 1,414 online harassment cases and 165 sextortion cases. While media summaries are not a substitute for direct publication of official datasets, these reports (a) align with the CERT-MU time-series direction in 2020–2023 and (b) convey operationally important case-mix details (harassment, sextortion, identity theft) that map strongly onto TFGBV response needs (Nuckchhed, 2025).

Structural drivers consistent with rising TFGBV reporting. Government communications describe high internet and social media reach, alongside a rising cybercrime load (reported as an “average of 17 cases recorded daily” on MAUCORS+) and an explicit policy focus on children’s online access controls (Ministry of Information Technology, 2025). This combination of widespread connectivity plus rapid reporting growth typically increases both risk exposure and opportunities for detection and reporting, especially when reporting channels are convenient and publicised (The Mauritian Cybercrime Online Reporting System, 2026).

Publicity, media coverage, and public campaigns

Recent publicity patterns (last 3–5 years). Local journalism has increasingly framed cyberharassment, sextortion, and revenge pornography as urgent public safety and mental health concerns, often linked to social media platform dynamics and “Telegram scandals (Le Mauricien, 2024).” Stories also spotlight individual survivor experiences, particularly around non-consensual circulation of intimate videos and the emotional toll of prolonged investigations (Le Defi Plus, 2024). Such coverage appears to serve a dual function: normalising reporting (“this happens here”) while simultaneously exposing stigma and fear of reputational damage, which can still suppress disclosure (Le Defi Plus, 2024).

Government-led and UN-aligned campaign activity intensified in 2025. In December 2025, a government information release (via the Ministry of IT, Communication and Innovation, sourced to GIS) describes a national “Digital Safety” campaign aligned with the global “16 Days of Activism” theme “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls (Ministry of Information Technology, 2025).” The same release describes multi-ministry and UN coordination (UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, Gender Ministry, Education Ministry, Ombudsperson for Children), dissemination of a digital safety booklet and video reels, and messaging that women and children are statistically the most vulnerable to digital threats. UN Mauritius has also publicly convened activities around GBV during the 16 Days period, including high-level panel discussions with diplomatic partners, reinforcing the legitimacy of GBV prevention and response staying on the public agenda (Ministry of Information Technology, 2025).

Campaigns specifically labelled as digital violence prevention. A nationally branded campaign titled “Fam kon to droit online – Women, Know Your Rights Online” is described in official-adjacent postings as a 16 Days–linked awareness and media campaign, involving the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, the Gender Ministry, the ICT Ministry, and partners. It reportedly launched an animated educational clip on common forms of online abuse, safety tips, and legal protections, alongside calls for victims to report (Mauritius Digital Promotion Agency, 2026). Public documentation accessible through this research tool did not provide a fully viewable official GOVMU page text for the campaign (likely due to site scripting restrictions), so campaign details should be verified against the official GOVMU/GIS release archive when preparing a proposal (NewsGov, 2025).

Mermaid timeline of major events and initiatives

Mauritius: selected TFGBV-relevant milestones:

• 2009 : Child Online Safety Action Plan endorsed; led by CERT-MU (as described in ITU materials)
• 2011 : ICTA launches CSA online content filtering for child protection
• 2013 : ICTA–IWF cooperation noted for CSA reporting and blacklist-based blocking
• 2018 : MAUCORS launched as national online cybercrime reporting system (reported in ITU/WSIS documentation)
• 2020 : Lespwar GBV rapid-response app launched (panic button); National GBV strategy period begins (2020–2024 noted in public sources)
• 2021 : Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Act enacted (new offences incl. fake profiles, cyberbullying, cyber extortion, revenge pornography)
• 2021 : CERT-MU operates as a legally mandated department (public cyber security information page)
• 2025 : National Safer Internet Day awareness campaign and school outreach reported; MAUCORS+ emphasized
• 2025 : “Fam kon to droit online” digital violence campaign launched (16 Days period)
• 2025 : Digital Safety campaign launched with UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and ministries
• 2025 : ICTA Directive TD 4 of 2025 mandates child online protection measures by licensees; SIM-based COP offerings launched by operators
• 2026 : ICTA issues public reminders on ICT Act offences for harmful online posting/sharing (communique)

Prevention and education in schools, TVET, and communities

A longstanding child online safety thread exists, but TFGBV-specific mainstreaming is uneven. Mauritius’ child online safety work is documented as dating back at least to a government-endorsed Child Online Safety Action Plan, with sensitisation campaigns planned for primary and secondary students and ICT teachers, plus media programming (including multi-language radio). The same ITU document frames Safer Internet Day as a yearly “kick-start” for sensitisation campaigns and describes internet connectivity for schools through a government “Schoolnet” approach intended to ensure access to “suitable and protected contents.” However, this document is nearly a decade old and should be treated as historical baseline; proposals should confirm the current curriculum and delivery modalities with the education authorities and the Mauritius Institute of Education curriculum repository.

Teacher training and school outreach are visible in more recent reporting. A reputable local media account summarising CERT-MU’s 2024 trend report states that ICT teachers from more than 300 schools participated in an awareness program and that a video series is available publicly via CERT-MU’s YouTube presence (Chitamun, 2025). Police reporting also shows operational outreach: the Cybercrime Unit conducted awareness talks/sensitisations including to primary schools, with the number of sessions rising between the two reported periods in the police annual report (for July 2023–June 2024 vs July 2024–June 2025) (Mauritius Police Force, 2026). These efforts indicate a functioning delivery capability (trained speakers, school access, recurring sessions), which can be leveraged for TFGBV-specific modules (e.g., consent, image-based abuse, sextortion resistance, reporting pathways, and bystander action) rather than generic cyber “hygiene” alone (UN Women, 2025).

Child Online Protection (COP) measures introduce a prevention architecture that can link to TFGBV. ICTA’s Telecommunication Directive 4 of 2025 defines COP measures at network, application, and device levels, places obligations on licensed operators to offer COP “by design,” and explicitly cites child online safety, well-being, and privacy as objectives (ICTA, 2025). Commercial operator offerings (e.g., my.t Child Online Protect) describe network-level filtering based on ICTA guidelines and stress that filtering is a “first line of defence,” not a complete safeguard, which is consistent with global evidence that technical measures must be paired with education and reporting supports (ICTA, 2025).

TVET pathways relevant to digital forensics and response exist. Polytechnics Mauritius markets programs in cyber security and digital forensics (e.g., Diploma in IT (Cyber Security) and a top-up BSc in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics), which could be positioned as an enabling ecosystem for national TFGBV response capacity (ethical digital forensics, evidence handling, safety-by-design innovation) (Polytechnics Mauritius, 2026).

Table of major campaigns/initiatives relevant to TFGBV and digital safety:

Reporting, complaints, and referral mechanisms

A multi-door system exists; the user experience depends on effective triage and referrals. Mauritius offers multiple complaint channels relevant to TFGBV, including emergency police lines, a national cybercrime reporting portal, GBV hotlines and in-person services, and a data protection complaints mechanism (Mauritius Police Force, 2026). In practice, TFGBV cases often require both cyber-investigative handling (evidence capture, tracing, legal steps) and survivor-centered GBV services (safety planning, psychosocial support, legal advice, shelter referral). Public documentation does not yet clearly present an integrated, survivor-facing “one journey” pathway across these services, which is a core opportunity for program design (Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, 2025).

MAUCORS+ (online reporting) as the central cyber-complaints channel. The Government’s cyber security information page describes MAUCORS as the national online platform for reporting cyber incidents and states that it connects CERT-MU, the Cybercrime Unit, the Data Protection Office, and ICTA (Government of Mauritius, 2026). The MAUCORS reporting form allows upload of files and captures: full name, national identity card number (optional field), address, phone and email, victim gender and age, platform (Facebook/TikTok/Instagram/Telegram plus “other”), incident description, incident type (including online harassment, sextortion, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, child exploitation and abuse, and misinformation), and date (The Mauritian Cybercrime Online Reporting System, 2026). The MAUCORS privacy policy explicitly states that personal data such as name, National ID number, and email are obtained when reporting, and that data collection/use is framed as governed by the Data Protection Act 2017. The MAUCORS disclaimer warns that the website must not be used for emergencies and that reports submitted after office hours/weekends may only be processed the next working day, which is important for risk screening in TFGBV (The Mauritian Cybercrime Online Reporting System, 2026).

GBV hotlines and support entry points. The Gender ministry’s FWPU page states that hotline 139 is operational 24/7 and free of charge for reporting domestic violence, and that hotline 119 operates 24/7 for family-related problems; the FWPU also provides services through Family Support Services, including legal and psychological advice and assistance with protection order applications (Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, 2025). Police annual reports list key lines including emergency 999 and Police hotline 148, alongside other operational contact lines; the same reports provide institutional context for policing infrastructure relevant to rapid response when TFGBV escalates into immediate physical risk (Mauritius Police Force, 2026).

Data protection complaints as a TFGBV-adjacent mechanism. The Data Protection Act 2017 establishes the Commissioner’s function to investigate complaints of contraventions, attempt amicable resolution, and formally notify decisions with an appeal route (Ministry of Technology, 2017). It also provides data subject rights including rectification and erasure in specified circumstances, which may be relevant where TFGBV involves unlawful disclosure or processing of personal data (e.g., doxxing, impersonation using stolen images, or non-consensual distribution of personal information) (Ministry of Technology, 2017).

Legal and policy framework

Core cybercrime legal provisions now explicitly cover key TFGBV harms. The Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Act 2021 establishes offences that map directly onto TFGBV, including misuse of fake profiles, cyberbullying, cyber extortion (including sexual blackmail), and revenge pornography (non-consensual disclosure or publication of a sexual photograph/film intended to cause distress). The Act also introduces an offence framing responsibility for administrators of online accounts to moderate “undesirable content” when brought to their attention by an investigatory authority, and it prescribes confidentiality of criminal investigations under the Act. These provisions provide a legal backbone for enforcement against common TFGBV tactics: impersonation and reputational attacks, coercive threats to disclose intimate material, and image-based abuse itself (UN Women, 2025).

Telecommunications law continues to underpin harmful-content enforcement. The amended ICT Act includes offences and provisions addressing abusive, threatening, false/misleading, and distress-causing messaging and posting via telecommunications equipment and ICT services. An ICTA communique (February 2026) explicitly reminds the public of ICT Act section 46(ga) in relation to posting or sharing harmful content on social media, reflecting ongoing regulatory reliance on these provisions for online-harm deterrence. For TFGBV programming, the implication is that survivors may have multiple legal avenues depending on incident type and channel, but the messaging to the public must make these options legible and survivor-safe.

Data protection law provides rights-based remedies relevant to doxxing and digital identity harms. The Data Protection Act 2017 mandates investigation of complaints by the Commissioner (unless frivolous/vexatious), supports attempts at amicable resolution, and provides for appeal. It also codifies rights such as rectification and erasure under defined conditions. In TFGBV contexts, the operational challenge is translating these rights into accessible, time-sensitive support for survivors, particularly where content spreads rapidly across platforms that may be outside national jurisdiction (Ministry of Technology, 2017).

GBV policy and service frameworks acknowledge cyberviolence, but integration depth varies. The Gender ministry’s FWPU public page explicitly defines cyberviolence and positions it within a broader GBV response system that includes legal and psychological support, protection order assistance, and referral to NGO shelters for those at risk (Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, 2025). This is a solid platform for integrating TFGBV-specific safety planning and digital evidence support, but publicly available materials do not yet clearly show standard operating procedures linking MAUCORS reporting to FWPU case management for TFGBV cases (e.g., a survivor reports sextortion online, is rapidly offered psychosocial support and safety planning, and is referred to legal aid for both cybercrime and protection orders) (Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, 2025).

Gaps and tensions to consider for program design. Three gaps are particularly relevant:

(1) limited public, routine TFGBV-specific indicators and gender-disaggregated cybercrime datasets released directly by the responsible agencies (despite indications such data exist operationally);

(2) cross-border platform and jurisdiction realities that complicate takedowns and enforcement; and

(3) the need to balance online harm controls with freedom of expression and due process, which is explicitly discussed in local discourse around cyber legislation.

Service provision, coordination, and funding

GBV services with relevance to TFGBV survivors. The Gender ministry’s FWPU describes an island-wide model including eight Family Support Services providing legal and psychological advice/support, assistance with protection order applications, psycho-social follow-up, counselling for adult perpetrators, and referrals to other institutions, with shelters provided via NGOs for victims at risk (Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, 2025). The same page notes an economic empowerment program for survivors since 2021 (implemented with short-course training support) and multiple capacity-building workshops, including initiatives in collaboration with UNFPA and training for police officers on response to GBV victims. While largely framed around domestic violence, the service components (psychosocial support, legal support, safety, referrals) are directly transferable to TFGBV cases when appropriately adapted (UN Women, 2025).

Shelter and NGO support. Public NGO directories describe SOS Femmes as operating a specialised shelter for survivors of domestic violence, rape, and incest, providing counselling, legal and psychological advice, and reintegration support, with a stated capacity of 50 and mixed funding (state plus private CSR funds). This is relevant for TFGBV where digital abuse intersects with intimate partner violence and escalates to physical danger, requiring immediate safe accommodation (ACTogether, 2026).

Digital forensics and investigative capacity (system-level). Public-facing government cyber security information describes CERT-MU as legally mandated and operating as a department since December 2021, with roles in coordinating cybersecurity response and promoting cybersecurity; MAUCORS functions as a reporting gateway; and the police are represented in this ecosystem via Cybercrime Unit and Police IT Unit (Government of Mauritius, 2026). Further, international capacity-building for online child exploitation investigations has involved Mauritius law enforcement participation through Council of Europe–linked programs (Octopus/GLACY+) (Cyberviolence, 2024). For TFGBV, the operational emphasis is not only technical skill but also survivor-centered evidence handling (minimising re-traumatisation, ensuring confidentiality, and preventing secondary dissemination of intimate content).

Coordination mechanisms. The Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Act establishes a National Cybersecurity Committee with cross-government representation (including from CERT-MU, the Data Protection Office, police, the Attorney-General’s Office, ICTA, and others), indicating a formal multi-actor governance structure. Operational coordination is also implicit in MAUCORS’ stated “centralised system” role connecting the key cyber authorities. Separately, the GBV Observatory is positioned as a data and evidence initiative under the aegis of the ICT ministry in collaboration with the Gender ministry, which could be leveraged to institutionalise TFGBV indicators and dashboards (Le Defi Plus, 2024).

Barriers to reporting and access (including digital literacy and stigma). Survey evidence points to the persistence of community backlash fears: Afrobarometer reports that many Mauritians consider it likely that women who report GBV will face criticism, harassment, or shaming, even while most believe police are likely to take GBV seriously (Mpako & Ndoma, 2024). TFGBV adds additional barriers: fear of viral spread and reputational harm, limited ability to preserve digital evidence safely, constrained private device access (especially for adolescents), and concern about confidentiality when reporting requires identifying details (Nuckchhed, 2025).

Proposal-oriented recommendations and monitoring indicators

Programmatic gaps to address (evidence-based). Current structures show strong components but incomplete “end-to-end” TFGBV integration:

(1) cyber-reporting is advanced, but survivor-centered GBV case management is not clearly embedded in cyber pathways;

(2) prevention is active but often framed as generic cyber safety or child protection rather than explicit TFGBV (consent, image-based abuse, coercive control);

(3) public data release is fragmented, limiting targeting and accountability; and

(4) the confidentiality and accessibility trade-offs of reporting systems (e.g., online portals not for emergencies; personal data collection; after-hours processing) require risk-based triage models.

Priority intervention package for a 12–24 month proposal (modular):

1) Integrated TFGBV case triage and referral protocol across MAUCORS+ and GBV services. Develop a shared triage rubric for high-harm categories (sextortion, revenge pornography, credible threats, child involvement), with explicit “warm referral” triggers to 139/FWPU services and child protection channels, plus safety planning templates and evidence-preservation guidance for survivors (The Mauritian Cybercrime Online Reporting System, 2026).

Suggested indicators:
– % of TFGBV-category reports triaged within 24 hours;
– % receiving safety planning within 72 hours;
– referral completion rate from cyber reporting to psychosocial/legal support.

2) School and teacher TFGBV curriculum infusion (upper primary through secondary), aligned to existing digital safety programming. Build on existing teacher outreach and Safer Internet Day infrastructure, but add TFGBV-specific modules: consent and image-based abuse, sextortion resistance, reporting pathways, bystander intervention, and mental health support (The Mauritian Cybercrime Online Reporting System, 2026).

Indicators:
– # schools and students reached;
– # teachers trained and validated via competency checks;
– pre/post student knowledge and help-seeking intention change.

3) Survivor-centered digital forensics support function. Establish a small specialist support layer (could be embedded within existing institutions) to assist with secure evidence capture, device safety, account recovery, platform reporting, and takedown requests, with strict privacy safeguards. This should complement—not replace—law enforcement, and include clear boundaries (UN Women, 2025).

Indicators:
– median time from report to evidence preservation;
– takedown request success rate and time-to-takedown;
– % cases where re-victimisation through re-sharing is reduced (proxy: repeat reports of same content).

4) Public campaign continuity beyond 16 Days. Convert time-bound campaigns (Digital Safety, “Fam kon to droit online”) into an annual cycle with quarterly pulses, using consistent messaging on rights, reporting options, and “what to do” steps, in languages appropriate to target communities (Ministry of Information Technology, 2025).

Indicators:
– campaign reach metrics (views, hotline traffic, portal submissions) correlated to campaign phases;
– awareness of MAUCORS+ and 139 in target groups (survey).

5) Data and accountability: a TFGBV reporting dashboard module. Extend the GBV Observatory concept to include a TFGBV subset: incident type, gender/age (already captured in MAUCORS form), and case outcomes (triage, referral, enforcement status) with privacy-preserving aggregation (MRIC, 2024).

Indicators:
– publication of quarterly anonymised TFGBV analytics;
– proportion of cases with recorded outcomes across agencies.

6) Professional capacity building with trauma-informed standards. Train frontline responders across police, social services, health, education, and hotline staff on TFGBV dynamics, confidentiality, and survivor autonomy, aligned to regional human rights standards on digital violence and to global guidance (ACHPR, 2022).

Indicators:
– # personnel trained by sector;
– knowledge/skills retention at 3–6 months;
– survivor satisfaction and perceived safety improvements.

Sustainability considerations. Regulatory measures (e.g., COP directive obligations) and government platforms (MAUCORS+, CERT-MU) provide structural continuity, but survivor-centered TFGBV programming often relies on campaign cycles and partner funding. Embedding protocols, data routines, and training requirements into institutional mandates is likely to yield better durability than stand-alone projects.

Dr Krishna Athal Life & Executive Coach | Corporate Trainer | Leadership Consultant

Dr Krishna Athal is an internationally acclaimed Life & Executive Coach, Corporate Trainer, and Leadership Consultant with a proven track record across India, Mauritius, and Singapore. Widely regarded as a leading voice in the field, he empowers individuals and organisations to unlock potential and achieve lasting results.

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