The Challenge:
In Cambodia’s rapidly growing digital economy, online harassment has become a significant challenge, particularly for women entrepreneurs and female influencers who rely on the internet to build their businesses. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence and harassment (TFGBVH) not only create emotional distress but also act as a barrier to economic growth, silencing women and discouraging them from participating fully in digital spaces.
Research revealed a lack of widely understood terms in Khmer to describe forms of online harassment, making it difficult for victims to identify, discuss, and report their experiences. This language gap not only hinders individual and community understanding but also prevents meaningful dialogue about solutions, both at a policy level and in everyday conversations.
To empower Cambodians—women and men alike—with tools to address online harassment, a culturally relevant and practical language framework was urgently needed.
The Process:
Working in collaboration with the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), MangoTango Asia undertook a human-centered, multi-phase process to research, develop, and validate Cambodia’s first Khmer-English Glossary for technology-facilitated gender-based violence and harassment.
- Research and Stakeholder Input
- Conducted exploratory interviews with women entrepreneurs, influencers, and policymakers to understand how harassment is experienced, discussed, and currently addressed in Khmer and English.
- Reviewed existing glossaries and terminology related to TFGBVH from international contexts to identify gaps in local descriptions.
- Language Development
- Developed two versions of translations for each term: colloquial Khmer for use in everyday situations, and formal Khmer for policy and legal applications.
- Collaborated with local linguists, women’s organizations, and policy advocates to ensure cultural relevance and resonance.
- Community Engagement
- Hosted focus groups with university students and digital professionals to test the glossary’s practicality and accessibility.
- Incorporated feedback to refine the glossary into a useful, user-friendly resource for both grassroots advocacy and institutional use.
The Outcome:
The final glossary includes 26 key terms related to online harassment and harmful online behaviors, categorized into four thematic groups:
- Forms of Online Violence and Harassment (e.g., cyberbullying, sextortion)
- Harmful Behaviors and Tactics (e.g., victim blaming, body shaming)
- Safety, Security, and Evidence (e.g., privacy, cybersecurity)
- Impact and Prevention (e.g., victims, online risks)
The glossary is available as a free resource.
The Result:
The Khmer-English Glossary for Online Harassment is an essential first step in combating online abuse in Cambodia. It has the potential to:
- Empower Victims: Women entrepreneurs and online influencers, and anyone experiencing these issues, now have the words to describe their experiences, enabling them to seek help and protect their rights.
- Support Policy Development: Policymakers and legal professionals can use the glossary’s formal language to address gaps in Cambodia’s regulatory framework.
- Create Safer Digital Communities: By equipping individuals with a shared vocabulary, the glossary enables dialogue and collective action to tackle TFGBVH.
Response to the first edition of the glossary has been positive, noting that the effort raises awareness of online harassment, and helps ensure that Cambodia’s digital economy can flourish without the constraints of harassment, benefiting individuals, businesses, and communities.
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