As surveillance culture persists, the expectation for women to be hyper-vigilant becomes unbearable
With the true crime boom, the rise of Are We Dating the Same Guy Facebook groups, and viral moments like West Elm Caleb, there is a growing preoccupation with harm against women and how they go about preventing it.
It goes without saying that women disproportionately bear the burden of deflecting violence from men. The messaging has been ingrained in society for decades: don’t walk home alone, carry your keys between your fingers, don’t wear this, watch over your drinks. With the introduction of 3rd wave feminism, there was a brief shift toward re-framing women as victims of systemic violence rather than as failures for not defending themselves effectively. This shift has been fleeting.
The energy we spend watching out for ourselves and each other could be used to dismantle the systems that create these conditions in the first place.
Research shows that surveillance plays a central role in upholding systems of power and control, particularly in maintaining state authority. The U.S., for example, has long used propaganda and surveillance to police its population, normalizing a culture of self-monitoring.
Nina Ola, a sex worker and community advocate, explains how this paranoia has trickled down. “We are in an era where surveillance is easier than ever and rarely discouraged, particularly when it comes to our personal and intimate relationships,” she says. “It’s relatively easy to convince people to keep watch over themselves and each other, especially when you frame it as a way to stay safe.” Ola draws a direct line between how the U.S. government has handled whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange and how individuals, particularly women, are now expected to self-surveil. “The government’s response to dissent has normalized this behavior, creating a trickle-down effect.”
So, what does this have to do with women?
Studies show that women’s engagement with self-surveillance stems from societal expectations. Apps like Life360 encourage women to share their locations with loved ones for safety, while TikTok videos advise viewers to save key evidence of potential abuse. Are We Dating the Same Guy groups have become informal databases for women to warn each other about problematic men, relying on collective surveillance to protect their members. This normalization of self-surveillance disproportionately impacts women, reinforcing the idea that they are solely responsible for their safety.
Paradoxically, this constant vigilance can make women feel more isolated and vulnerable. The emphasis on self-surveillance shifts the focus away from addressing the root causes of gender-based violence and instead places the onus on women to prevent harm. It becomes even more puzzling when it’s recalled that women are 15 time more life to be harmed by a partner than by stranger,
“It’s exhausting,” Ola says. “The energy we spend watching out for ourselves and each other could be used to dismantle the systems that create these conditions in the first place.”
Surveillance culture has become a modern iteration of an old narrative: that women must always be on guard. While technology has made it easier to stay connected and informed, it has also deepened the expectation that women must monitor themselves and their surroundings at all times. Until we address the structural issues that perpetuate violence, this cycle of vigilance will remain firmly in place.