What is cyber abuse?
Cyber abuse is online behaviour that is reasonably likely to have a seriously threatening, intimidating, harassing or humiliating effect on a person.
It is behaviour that threatens to hurt a person socially, psychologically or even physically. Cyber abuse can take many forms, including trolling, cyberbullying and image-based abuse.
Types of cyber abuse
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Trolling
I have received sustained severe abuse or harrasment, this includes physical threats, stalking and/or sexual harrassment.
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Image-based abuse
Someone is sharing or threatening to share intimate images of me without my consent.
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Sextortion
Someone is using intimate images to blackmail me
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Impersonation/Fake account
A fake social media account has been setup in my name.
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Doxing
My personal details have been shared or publicised online. It may result in offensive comments and unwanted calls or visits from strangers.
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DeepFakes/Morphing/FaceSwapping
My face has been morphed onto another person’s body in sexually explicit material posted online.
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Defamatory comments
Someone has posted defamatory comments intended to harm my reputation
Impacts of cyber abuse
Cyber abuse can have a devastating impact. It can affect women’s wellbeing, mental health, confidence, relationships and sense of safety.
It can also lead to women stepping back from public conversations or self-censoring out of fear for their privacy and safety.
Cyber abuse can quickly intensify in scale and nature. It can also feel deeply personal.
It is important to remember that cyber abuse is not about you; it reflects on the person who is abusing you.