The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has reaffirmed our commitment to building a safer, more respectful, and more inclusive digital environment with the launch of our 2025 16 Days of Activism campaign, focused on ending digital violence against women and girls.

As online abuse continues to rise globally, particularly targeting women and girls in sport, OFC and its Member Associations (MAs) are taking collective action to ensure that football communities across the Pacific are protected both on and off the field.

OFC has had a long-running commitment to use football as a tool to prevent gender-based violence including prioritisation of safeguarding for all involved in football. We have a MOU with UN Women, and have introduced a Gender Equality curriculum in the Just Play program.

This year, OFC is introducing a major new initiative: free access for all Member Associations to Respondology, an AI-powered online moderation platform which acts as a protective shield for players, coaches, officials, staff, and fans by detecting and hiding harmful or abusive comments before they cause harm. The Cook Islands Football Association is the first MA to be onboarded, just in time for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Oceania Qualifiers which they are hosting this week.

OFC has been working with Respondology for the past year and is expanding coverage to include stamping out abuse in different languages.

“Respondology exists to make social media safer.  Inspiration to launch the company started when witnessing the horrific abuse Serena Williams received posting on Facebook during the 2019 U.S. Open.  Six years later, we’ve ended social abuse for teams, leagues, and world-class athletes around the world in over 100 languages, and we are now extremely happy to support the OFC and their 16 Days of Activism campaign.” Said Erik Swain, Co-Founder and CEO, Respondology

“We have the technology to eradicate hate speech and protect these young athletes, but OFC is the real hero for taking action, and we’re proud to be a part of their program.” Swain added.

As social media has become an essential platform for connection, storytelling, and visibility, it has also opened the door to unprecedented levels of harassment and abuse. Research shows that women and girls in sport are 29% more likely to receive online abuse than their male counterparts. For many, this abuse goes beyond the screen, impacting mental health, confidence, and long-term participation in sport.

In the Pacific where gender based violence is the highest in the world, football communities are close-knit and interpersonal connections run deep, the effects of online harassment can be amplified. A single abusive comment can ripple through families, clubs, and communities, creating real-world harm that reaches far beyond the digital space.

Cook Islands goalkeeper Rianna Pepe will share her story: representing Tupapa Maraerenga at the OFC Women’s Champions League in May, she was the target of unacceptable online abuse. We will hear from influencers from inside and outside football and we will ask you to take our pledge: To Unite to end Digital violence against women and girls.

OFC General Secretary Franck Castillo has emphasised that safeguarding in sport must now include the online world. “We have a responsibility to protect our players and communities in every environment they participate in, including digital spaces. Online violence is real violence. With this initiative, we are strengthening our commitment to gender equality, wellbeing, and respect.”

As our 16 Days of Activism campaign begins, OFC’s message is clear: digital violence has no place in Oceania football. Through collaboration, innovation, and commitment, we can create safer online communities where women and girls can participate fully, confidently, and without fear.