The prevalence of online harassment against women once again reared its ugly head when a game developer was forced to flee her home after terrible rape and death threats were tweeted at her. Incidents like this one always raise concerns over policies on social media meant to protect users.

That’s why gender justice non-profit group Women, Action and the Media (WAM!) is working with Twitter to explore better ways to deal with harassment on the service.

“We are so excited to announce our latest project: an unprecedented collaboration with Twitter to address the online harassment of women,” WAM! said on its website.

WAM! is running a pilot project that will help users report harassment on Twitter via a reporting tool on its website and will escalate validated matters to Twitter within 24 hours and track the company’s response to different kinds of gendered harassment.

“At the end of the pilot test period, WAM! will analyse the data collected and use it to work with Twitter to better understand how gendered harassment intersects with other types of harassment, how those attacks function on their platform, and to improve Twitter’s responses to it,” said the group.

Last year WAM! ran the #FBrape campaign together with the Everyday Sexism Project against violent sexist images of reasons why women “deserved” to be raped that were being posted on Facebook. Fifteen advertisers subsequently pulled their brands off Facebook, which prompted the social network giant to take action.

“We’re so glad that Twitter recognizes that the best way to ensure equally free speech for all users on their platform is to ensure that all users are equally free to speak without being targeted by harassment, abuse and threats.”

[Source – WAM via CNET, Image – WAM]