In light of International Women’s Day, Stefanie Yuen Thio joined fellow advocates, activists and organisations across Asia in reflecting for Tatler Asia on this year’s call for rights, justice and action—and on the work still needed to close gaps for women and girls.

In her contribution, our Joint Managing Partner spoke about online harm as one of the most urgent challenges facing women today. She highlighted abuses such as revenge porn, deepfakes and online scams, noting that while anyone can be targeted, women and girls are disproportionately affected.

Speaking both as chairperson of the NGO SHE (SG Her Empowerment) and from personal experience, Stefanie brought a deeply personal perspective to the issue. She reflected on how violating and destabilising such attacks can be, and how even someone who understands the system and knows where to seek help can still experience shock, dread and self-blame. Her message was clear: victims need not only practical support, but also the reassurance that the abuse is never their fault.

Stefanie also stressed that awareness alone is not enough. She welcomed stronger legal protections, including Singapore’s new online safety legislation, which is aimed at enabling faster content removal, greater platform accountability and more effective relief for victims. Her broader call was for communities, governments and institutions to work together to uphold rights and justice in digital spaces—so that victims are better protected, and women can reclaim agency online.