This research examines how digital platforms became arenas for systematic gender-based attacks during Iraq’s November 2025 parliamentary elections. Drawing on 10 Key Informant Interviews conducted across seven Iraqi provinces and social listening analysis of over 110 Arabic and Kurdish-language Facebook posts, the study documents how women candidates were disproportionately targeted by coordinated disinformation campaigns; attacks that focused not on their political platforms, but on their identities, appearances, and perceived violations of traditional gender roles. From moral accusations and fabricated sexualised content to AI-generated deepfakes and networks of fake accounts, the research reveals the scale, sophistication, and human cost of gender-based disinformation in electoral contexts. The study concludes with recommendations for legal reform, platform accountability, media responsibility, and candidate support, making the case that protecting women’s digital participation is not only a requirement but a prerequisite for democratic values.