Online abuse sparks women's panic attacks

Two-thirds of women who have been the targets of online abuse and harassment report suffering panic attacks and anxiety from the incidents, a survey shows.

Amnesty International Australia commissioned a Ipsos MORI online poll which surveyed 502 women aged 18-55 years.

Thirty per cent had experienced abuse, and at least 37 per cent of those said the experience had made them feel their physical safety was threatened.

"The internet can be a frightening and toxic place for women," Amnesty spokeswoman Azmina Dhrodia said.

"It's no secret that misogyny and abuse are thriving on social media platforms, but this poll shows just how damaging the consequences of online abuse are for the women who are targeted."

The poll also found:

* 20 per cent of women said their online abuse had included threats of rape or physical violence.

* Seven per cent had been victims of revenge porn - intimate images of themselves posted without their consent.

* 54 per cent of the abuse came from strangers, a third from people the victims knew and 15 per cent from former partners.

* 62 per cent of women experiencing online abuse said they couldn't sleep at night.

The survey found the abuse had a "silencing effect" on the social media activity of 56 per cent of victims.

Amnesty called on social media platforms to do more to protect women's right to freedom of expression.