Online abuse isn’t going away. AI is making it even harder to escape.

The internet has made it easier than ever to connect, build careers and share our lives online. But it’s also become a breeding ground for abuse that can follow victims long after the screen is switched off.

New findings from SHE’s 2026 Study on Online Harms in Singapore found that 38 per cent of Singaporeans have experienced at least one form of online harm in their lifetime, while 26 per cent encountered abuse within the past year alone. Yet despite these experiences, only 38 per cent said they feel safe online. More than a third of survivors also reported severe consequences, including mental health struggles, physical health effects and financial losses.

As generative AI makes fake images and manipulated content easier to create than ever before, experts say tackling online abuse is no longer just about removing harmful content. It’s about changing attitudes, improving support and helping survivors regain control.

Women are still suffering in silence

The research found that women remain less likely than men to report online harms, are less aware of available support services and are less likely to feel safe online. Female survivors were also less likely to report what happened to them compared to men.

According to How Kay Lii, CEO of SG Her Empowerment (SHE), many women have grown up feeling they need to protect themselves, making it harder to seek help when abuse happens.

“I think we grow up very aware of how our bodies are being viewed and treated,” she says.

Many women also minimise their own experiences, questioning whether what happened was “serious enough” or assuming everyone else is going through the same thing.

Instead of viewing speaking up as an act of bravery, Kay Lii believes asking for help should become something far more normal.

AI is changing what online abuse looks like

Artificial intelligence is also reshaping online harms.

The survey found that six per cent of respondents had encountered AI generated deepfakes, but Kay Lii believes technology is evolving faster than conversations around how it should be used.

“I feel like Singapore always embraces technology,” she says. “But we haven’t spoken enough about the ethical considerations that come with AI.”

While discussions often focus on AI’s ability to improve productivity, she believes there needs to be greater emphasis on responsible use, particularly as younger people gain access to increasingly sophisticated tools.

She is also concerned that AI is lowering the barrier for abuse. Cases such as sextortion no longer require perpetrators to obtain intimate images if convincing fake ones can be generated instead.

Removing content isn’t enough

For many survivors, having harmful content taken down is only the first step.

The study found that awareness of community based support remains low, while 43 per cent of survivors who chose not to report abuse to platforms said they expected little action or long delays.

Kay Lii says recovery begins by giving survivors choices rather than telling them what they should do.

“The most important thing is giving them options,” she says. “People want to regain their agency.”

Support could mean counselling, legal guidance or simply understanding the choices available. At SHECARES, Singapore’s specialist support centre for survivors of online harms, the team focuses on helping survivors decide what feels right for them, rather than prescribing a single path forward.

Since opening in 2023, SHECARES has supported more than 600 clients, providing over 6,600 hours of counselling, legal guidance and case management.

Online safety is everyone’s responsibility

Online abuse doesn’t only affect victims.

For women whose work relies on social media, from entrepreneurs to content creators, Kay Lii says building a support network offline is just as important as building an audience online.

She also believes bystanders have a bigger role to play. Reporting abusive posts, checking in on friends and refusing to normalise harmful behaviour can all help create safer online spaces.

“The more people report harmful content, the more likely platforms are to act,” she says.

As AI continues to evolve, so too will online harms. But while technology may be changing rapidly, the solution remains deeply human: making it easier for survivors to seek help, encouraging others to speak up and recognising that online abuse should never be dismissed as “just part of being online.”