regina

The takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk in 2022 signalled the end of an era when he renamed it X and transformed the microblogging giant from a bastion of community organising for progressive change and saving lives into an unsafe cesspool where misogynists, racists, bigots and other conservative voices are given a platform without guardrails for preventing violence. This triggered a major exodus of Twitter users searching for the next digital public square that could replace Twitter as well as a number of rising microblogging apps competing for the users that Twitter/X was losing.

One of these apps is Bluesky. First created as an open-source research project at Twitter, Bluesky was never meant to be an app, much less a company. However, once Musk took over Twitter, the project team, headed by Jay Graber who is now Bluesky’s CEO, turned it into an app to demonstrate what it could do. It launched as an invite-only app in 2023 and word-of-mouth soon spread that it had most of the features of the original Twitter with a twist: instead of the app determining the content of users’ feeds, users would be able to curate their experience by building or subscribing to any number of specialised feeds that are owned by users. Additionally, Bluesky takes user safety seriously with a robust moderation system and team that enforces their community rules that forbid harassment and abuse.

Once Bluesky became open to the general public, it experienced several major waves of new users who have fled Twitter, including major celebrities, journalists and organisations. Many charities, nonprofits and activists have also moved to Bluesky to escape the increasingly hostile environment of Twitter/X. As of August 2025, Bluesky had reached approximately 38 million users with more joining every day.

With this in mind, The Pixel Project presents a selection of 16 organisations and activists using Bluesky in their efforts to end violence against women. These are organisations from across the world and individuals from different walks of life who are using Bluesky to continue their anti-violence against women work, with all sharing a vision of a world where women and girls can live free of all forms of violence. If you are on Bluesky, please do check them out and follow them for everything from campaigns to news about VAW.

Introduction by Regina Yau. Written by Jenna Miles. Researched and curated by Sharmila Ganapathy. Additional research by Jenna Miles.

Inspired to support The Pixel Project’s anti-violence against women work? Make a donation to us today OR buy our 1st poetry collection, Under Her Eye. All donations and net proceeds from book sales go towards supporting our campaigns, programmes, and initiatives.

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #1: DomesticShelters.Org – Canada and the United States of America

Launched in 2014, DomesticShelters.Org has grown into the largest digital directory of shelters and programmes for survivors of domestic violence in Canada and the United States of America. Their website also hosts a number of articles on how survivors can protect themselves when leaving an abusive relationship and how they can protect their dependents. Their Bluesky account reflects their commitment to educating the public on domestic violence as they regularly post statistics and news about domestic violence.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #2: End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) – United States of America

End Violence Against Women International was founded by Sergeant Joanna Archambault after several decades of work with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence in service to the San Diego Police Department. Sergeant Archambault saw that those in the criminal justice sector did not have the training or support needed to fully support survivors. EVAWI now works with law enforcement, policymakers and healthcare workers to ensure that those who interact with survivors have the necessary trauma-informed training. Their Bluesky account posts about policies affecting survivors, such as the Trump administration’s pausing of sexual assault prevention training for those in the military, and the lack of training American police officers receive on how to help victims of sexual assault.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #3: European Institute of Women’s Health (EIWH) – Europe

Founded in 1996, the European Institute of Women’s Health strives for better health for all by advocating for policies and research to be more gender equitable. This includes recognising how gender-based violence and discrimination influence women’s health. The EIWH frequently partners with other organisations for campaigns and promote them on their Bluesky account along with information on their upcoming webinars, which cover topics including: obstetric violence, the inaccessibility of support services for women facing violence and how a lack of inclusivity in the medical field can lead to victims staying in violent situations.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #4: Equality Now – Worldwide

Founded in 1992 by lawyers Jessica Neuwirth, Navanethem Pillary and Feryal Gharahi, Equality Now has worked tirelessly towards the goal of women across the globe having full enjoyment of their fundamental human rights and equal treatment under the law. The organisation works with policymakers and survivors of violence against women in order to overturn unjust laws, like those which force victims of sexual violence into marriages with their abusers, and have made strides in several countries, including Georgia and Bolivia, in helping build systems that serve and protect victims. Their Bluesky account regularly posts articles with information on unjust policies around the world that contribute to violence against women.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #5: Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) – United States of America

The Feminist Majority Foundation believes that feminists are the majority, and thus works to empower those people through research and initiatives. FMF tackles several vectors of women’s rights and has numerous overviews of policies like the Violence Against Women Act and how this legislation can be improved. Their Bluesky account posts news stories concerning violence against women in the United States, such as the abortion ban, and how the Trump administration’s cuts to public services put women at a greater risk of experiencing violence.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #6: Global Fund For Women – Worldwide

Global Fund for Women was founded almost four decades ago to fill a critical gap in funding for local feminist organisations in the US. They are presently the leading funder of gender justice organisations, initiatives and movements worldwide. Their vision is for a world where movements for gender justice have transformed power and privilege for a few into equity and equality for all. Their Bluesky account is very active as they post about centring women and girls in philanthropy, the work of women’s human rights organisations and activists across the world (including those who work to end VAW), and updates about their various initiatives.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #7: Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) – United Kingdom

Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) is run by and for Latin American migrant women in the UK. For over 40 years, LAWRS has worked to end gender-based violence against migrant women and girls through their free and confidential services such as counselling, legal advice and support groups. On their Bluesky account LAWRS posts updates about their work and promotes other UK-based anti-gender-based violence organisations.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #8: Prevention Collaborative – Worldwide

The Prevention Collaborative is a group of practitioners and researchers united by their commitment to social justice, making the world safer and empowering women and future generations. As researchers, the organisation knows that education is key to preventing violence and thus has built a massive knowledge hub with high-quality resources accessible to everyone. This hub includes their micro-courses on crafting messaging and campaigns to further the prevention of violence against women. On their Bluesky, the organisation frequently posts about their available resources, making it an invaluable reference for leaders and members of other anti-violence against women organisations.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #9: Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) – Worldwide

The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) was founded in 2003 with the aim of achieving a world free of violence against women and children through evidence-based prevention programmes and practices. Focusing on low and middle-income countries, SVRI has a number of projects working towards inclusive and diverse research to further knowledge on violence prevention. Their Bluesky account is a great way to follow the organisation’s work as they regularly post about upcoming webinars and their latest blog posts, both covering a wide range of subjects from gender-based violence in academia to the ways in which technology both contributes and prevents gender-based violence.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #10: The Pixel Project – Worldwide

The Pixel Project is a complete virtual, volunteer-led global 501(c)3 non-profit organisation whose mission is to raise awareness, funds and volunteer power for the cause to end violence against women at the intersection of social media, online communities, new technologies and popular culture/the Arts. They are the only anti-violence against women non-profit in the world to use their Bluesky account to post a daily list of helplines for victims of violence against women in over 200 countries. They also share updates about both their current and upcoming campaigns and initiatives as well as breaking news about violence against women worldwide.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #11: UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls – Worldwide

Comprised of five independent experts, The UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls works to hold countries accountable for implementing policies that will end gender-based discrimination. The Working Group works with all levels of government and grassroots activists on many different vectors of gender-based discrimination, such as bodily autonomy and gender-based violence. Their Bluesky account keeps followers up-to-date on the organisation’s activities with in-depth reports, such as their twelve-day mission to Zimbabwe to examine the supports given to survivors of gender-based violence. Additionally, there are links to the organisation’s webinars, where they speak to experts on subjects such as women’s representation in human rights organisations.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #12: V-Day – Worldwide

In 1998, the brilliant playwright behind The Vagina Monologues, V, organised the first V-Day event and was able to raise over $250,000 for local New York City anti-violence groups. Now, nearly 30 years later, V-Day has grown into a worldwide activist movement to end violence against women and girls. The organisation works with local artists, activists and survivors, and has raised over $120 million for safe houses, shelters and crisis centres across the globe. On their Bluesky, the organisation regularly posts information about upcoming benefit performances as well as updates on their work, like their ongoing One Billion Rising campaign.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #13: Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) – Europe

Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) is a network of feminist European NGOs with the shared aim of helping women and children to live free from violence. Experts and survivors are able to share their skills and experiences to strengthen organisations and services and foster a sense of solidarity across Europe. On their Bluesky account the network regularly posts about collaborative efforts with other organisations, like their collaboration with EuroCentralAsian Lesbian Community to provide training on deepening the connection between LGBT organisations and feminist organisations, and news about gender-based violence in Europe.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #14: Women’s Aid Ireland – Ireland

For 50 years, Women’s Aid Ireland has been working to prevent violence and help survivors of domestic abuse. The organisation has achieved many victories in the fight to end gender-based violence, such as helping enact a statutory paid domestic violence leave allowing those affected by domestic violence 5 days of paid time off from work. On their Bluesky account the organisation posts current news on gender-based violence in Ireland and around the globe.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #15: Women’s Committee of NCRI – Iran and France

The NCRI Women’s Committee works with Iranian women both inside and outside of the country to advocate for women’s rights. The committee participates frequently in women’s right conferences and has numerous articles about the fight for women’s rights in Iran available on their website. On their Bluesky account, the committee posts about events and campaigns. Their account is also an excellent source for information on the history of Iranian women’s fight for equality.

 

Bluesky Follow Recommendation #16: Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice – Worldwide

Women’s  Initiatives for Gender Justice is an international organisation that works towards obtaining justice for women affected by gender-based violence before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Working with ICC staff and grassroots activists, the organisation provides training and recruits experts on gender-based violence to improve the response of the ICC. On their Bluesky account the organisation regularly posts updates on their work and news highlighting gender-based violence in armed conflict areas.

 

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