THE CYBER HARASSMENT EXPOSURE & DIGITAL SAFETY AWARENESS IN SHAPING WOMEN’S ONLINE CRIME REPORTING INTENTIONS

Abstract

Cyber harassment had become a growing criminological concern as women increasingly experienced abuse, threats, stalking, blackmail, and unwanted sexual communication through the digital platforms. Such incidents often remained underreported due to the fear of social stigma, the limited legal awareness, distrust in authorities, and uncertainty about online complaint mechanisms. This study examined that how cyber harassment exposure and digital safety awareness shaped women’s intentions to report online crimes. A quantitative research design was used, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire from women who actively used social media and digital communication platforms. In this regard, the findings indicated that cyber harassment exposure significantly influenced women’s online crime reporting intentions, while the digital safety awareness strengthened their confidence in using the formal reporting channels. The study contributed to the criminological understanding of cyber victimization, gendered online insecurity, and reporting behavior in diverse circumstances. It also offered recommendations and practical implications for digital safety education, cybercrime awareness campaigns, as well as gender-sensitive online crime reporting systems.