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London Mayor Announces £6 Million Fund to Address Tech-Enabled Abuse
The Mayor of London announced a £6 million fund over three years to support victims of technology-enabled violence against women and girls. The pledge was made at a University College London conference on Tuesday.
May 19, 4:04 AM·1m read1 source
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The Mayor of London announced a £6 million fund to address technology-enabled violence against women and girls. The money will be distributed over three years at £2 million per year. The announcement came during a keynote speech at a tech abuse conference at University College London. The mayor described the rapid development of technology as creating new methods for harassment and control.
The fund will support victims of deepfakes, revenge porn, nudification, cyber-flashing, and medical hijacking. Officials said the investment aims to provide better services and practical assistance. A domestic abuse charity reported a 207 percent increase in tech abuse referrals from 2018 to 2024. Referrals rose another 62 percent between 2024 and 2025.
Data from the National Police Chiefs' Council showed at least 123,515 Violence Against Women and Girls offences with an online or technology element between August 2022 and July 2023. Conference organizers stated that technology-facilitated abuse has become part of everyday coercive control.
The mayor said the fund will bring together survivors, policymakers, academics, and technology leaders to develop responses. Officials described the effort as moving from awareness to coordinated action.
