Top 10 Cyber Crime against Women

Technology is making cyber crime against women more common, causing significant problems for society and the economy worldwide. An estimated one in ten women had previously been victims of cyberviolence, since the age of fifteen.

Before going further, you can refer to our blog Importance of Women in cybersecurity to discover the achievement of women in Cybersecurity with myths, inspiring stories, and xIoTz’s commitment to diversity and equity.

Now, let’s explore a wide-ranging set of common cyber crime against Women:

1. Cyber Grooming:

Groomers befriend someone online and build an emotional connection with future intentions of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or trafficking.

This is the most common cyber crime against Women. Groomers manipulate women through false means to gain their trust and then take advantage of it.

Do you know…

• The police recorded 10,000 cases of online grooming offenses under the new law over 2020.
• A study by the Crimes Against Children Research Center found that perpetrators initiated 30% of online child exploitation cases.

2. Cyber Hacking

Cybercriminals usually target women, manipulating them to gain unauthorized access to their personal and sensitive information such as financial details, addresses, and private conversations.

Hacking not only violates privacy but can also lead to severe consequences such as identity theft and financial loss.

Do you know…

• Women are 27 times more likely to be harassed online than men, making them more frequent targets for cybercriminals.
• The economic cost of cybercrime against women is estimated to be around $1.5 billion annually leaving with the financial consequences such as hacking and identity theft.

3. Cyber Blackmail

The internet provides a platform for sharing the information and being connected with each other. Thus this also reveals personal information. Here they become prone to cyber-blackmail.

Perpetrators may threaten to expose these sensitive data unless victims fulfill their demands. This mostly happens with women which puts them at security risk, emotional damage and financial loss.

Do you know…

• The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s survey found that 60% of revenge porn victims were women.
• Blackmailers often exploit social norms about sexuality to make others scared that their reputation will be damaged. They do this to force people into fulfilling their needs.

4. Cyber Pornography

Pornography is when people share intimate images, videos and stories without the actual consent. This is a form of cyber exploitation that mostly happens with women.

This malicious act not only violates privacy but can affect victims in severe emotional and psychological damage.

Do you know…

• According to a report by the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, around 90% of revenge porn cases involve the distribution of explicit images of women without their consent.
• Victims often report experiencing long-lasting psychological distress affecting their overall well-being and quality of life.

You can also refer to our blog Pornography and the Pedophile for better understanding.

5. Cyber Stalking

Cyber-stalking involves keeping an eye on people’s social media accounts and their activities. This may impersonate online identity in order to harm reputation or relationships with your loved ones. 

Sometimes these stalking can be converted into hacking to gain access to the accounts after manipulating them to reveal their passwords.

Do you know…

• The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) reported that 16.2% of women experienced stalking during their lifetime, emphasizing the prevalence of this cyber-threat.
• The American Journal of Public Health published findings indicating that women who are victims of CyberStalking are more likely to report depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances compared to those who have not experienced such online harassment.

6. Cyber Bullying

According to ISEA, “When a woman is threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another person using the Internet using interactive digital technologies or mobile phones is referred to as “Cyber-bullying”.

Do you know…

• A study by the Pew Research Center found that 21% of women between the ages of 18 and 29 have experienced online harassment, including cyber bullying.
• 64% of American young adults have experienced CyberBullying. Middle school-aged cyberbullying victims are almost twice as likely to attempt suicide than non-victims. 41% of US adults have experienced some form of online harassment.

7. Cyber Defamation

Cyber-defamation is a serious problem for many women who often need support from mental health professionals. It happens when untrue and harmful things are said about them on the internet. 

This can make life difficult because it harms their reputation often leaving them with emotional damage.

Do you know…

• A survey conducted by the Center for Innovative Public Health Research found that 26% of young women between the ages of 18 and 24 have experienced some form of online defamation, including false rumors or gossip spread about them on the internet.
• The Digital Citizens Alliance reported that women are more likely than men to be targets of online defamation campaigns, with 61% of victims being female.

8. Cyber Morphing

Cyber-Morphing is altering or changing the pictures of the person into someone else using morphing tools available online.

Women often suffer with emotional distress due to CyberMorphing as altering and misusing of their images are done without consent. This can lead to severe reputational damage. 

Do you know…

• According to a survey by the Cyber-Civil Rights Initiative, nearly 70% of victims of non-consensual image sharing are women, highlighting the disproportionate impact of cyber morphing on women.
• The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative revealed that 93% of victims reported feeling anxious, depressed, or powerless as a result of non-consensual image sharing, underscoring the profound emotional toll.

9. Hijacking and Impersonation

Women are often victims of online hijacking and impersonation where attackers take control of their social media and online accounts or create fake profiles. 

This can lead to the spread of false information damaging the victim’s reputation and can also be used for blackmailing.

Do you know…

• According to the Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report, 1 in 4 women globally has experienced some form of online harassment, including instances of hijacking and impersonation.
• The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership reported that only 23% of women who experienced online harassment felt that social media companies effectively addressed their concerns.

10. DeepFakes 

Deep Fakes manipulate facial appearance through deep generative methods. Deep-Fakes leverage powerful techniques from machine learning and artificial intelligence to manipulate or generate visual and audio content that can more easily trick users.

Women are more vulnerable to DeepFakes technology which can be used to fake content that appears genuine, leading to reputational harm.

Do you know…

• A report by Deeptrace states that the prevalence of Deep-Fakes in rising rapidly, with the number of DeepFake videos online nearly increased by 550% in 2023, reaching over 95,820.
• According to a study by Sensity AI, 96% of all Deep Fake content online consists of explicit material, and women are often the primary targets for such non-consensual use of manipulated videos.

Conclusion

It’s important to understand and address the diverse cyber crime against women. These challenges not only impact their online experiences but also their real-world well-being. 

We can strive for a safer and more secure online environment for everyone, regardless of any gender gap by raising awareness and implementing protective measures.

References:

Cyberviolence against women

Online gender-based violence

Measuring the prevalence of online violence against women

Related Blogs:

Crucial Cyber Hygiene to adopt 

Importance of women in cybersecurity 

Safeguarding your digital secrets 

Related Terms:

Cyber Awareness

Cyber Safety

Cyber Pornography

Quick Links:

For Career Opportunities

For Partnership Opportunities

For a Live Demonstration

Explore our Blogs