2023-06-07 11:00:44
In the case of violence against women, perpetrators are increasingly using technical means. With increasing digitization, cases of cyber violence against women are increasing. The danger behind this is often underestimated, shows a study that has now been published by researchers at the Vienna University of Applied Sciences and the Center for Social Research and Science Didactics (ZSW). More awareness and knowledge must be created, experts demanded at a press conference in Vienna on Wednesday.
The study “(K)ein Raum. Cyber violence against women in (ex) relationships” was presented. Research for this took three years. To do this, the scientists interviewed those affected and experts, and also analyzed reports of Section 107c – cyberbullying – of the Criminal Code (StGB). For “continuous harassment by means of a telecommunication or a computer system”, the StGB provides for a prison sentence of up to one year or a fine of up to 720 daily rates. The results show that institutions such as the police, courts or women’s counseling centers as well as the closest relatives often do not perceive cyber violence as a real danger and therefore offer those affected too little support.
“Cyber violence is still very much played down in society, but it is very dangerous and can be massive,” said Magdalena Habringer, project manager of the study and researcher and lecturer at the FH Campus Wien. She made the dynamics of cyber violence in the context of relationships clear: “If the perpetrator is or was your own partner, the likelihood is higher that he knows the passwords of those affected and thus has access to devices, data and accounts that a stranger would not have been so easy. In addition, there are often dependencies or there are children together that make it difficult to separate or seek help,” she reported.
Added to this is the social trivialization of digital attacks. How strongly victims of cyber violence are affected by this became clear in interviews with 15 affected women. “Especially in the beginning, cyber violence is difficult to recognize as such. At the beginning of the controlling cyber violence, some respondents and their social environment were still convinced that the constant question ‘Where are you, what are you doing?’ an expression of love,” reported Habringer. Digital attacks can take different forms. “Our study shows that cyber violence is mostly sexualized. Frequently, nude photos are published or sexualized humiliation takes place on social media – sometimes through manipulation of the women’s social environment,” said the project manager. Incidentally, the perpetrators do not have particularly “great technical knowledge”, “everyday applications are sufficient to be able to use cyber violence,” said Habringer. They often also know the password, “that alone is enough”. As an example, she cited the case of a woman where the perpetrator created a profile with an escort service on the woman’s behalf and offered sexual services. For a long time, the woman did not know why she received so many messages.
A third of those surveyed stated that they had been monitored using stalkerware. Some of them had concrete clues and evidence, for others it was just suspicion because the perpetrator inexplicably knew a lot and (at least in the past) had access to their smartphone and at the same time had high technical skills. “Sometimes those affected only express assumptions or diffuse perceptions about what they have experienced during counseling. The strategy of many those who are at risk is precisely to manipulate the perception of those affected,” reported Nina Wallner, social worker at the Burgenland Violence Protection Center. “In practice, we are increasingly seeing technical aids being misused,” she said, and reported on the case of a woman, where it was recently discovered that “the smart vacuum robot made eavesdropping possible.” The clients “very often communicate the suspicion that there is permanent control, that locations are known, that information from conversations is known”. Feelings must be taken seriously, “Those affected need support”. Often they “come into the consultation with a vague perception or assumption and cannot yet name cyber violence that way,” said Wallner.
As the study also revealed, some people in the environment became accomplices, for example when friends of those affected began to insult them because of the naked pictures that the perpetrator published,” said Habringer. “It is for women affected by cyber violence difficult to find a safe retreat without completely forgoing your smartphone or social media. This is a key characteristic of cyber violence,” says the researcher. Women felt powerless. “Even if they were physically safe, the internet knows no borders,” said the scientist , no longer being able to trust anyone, saw no way out, “have also attempted suicide”.
In order to be able to counter technological developments and punish cyber violence accordingly, both additional IT support and increased human resources at institutions such as public prosecutors and the police would be necessary. “Securing evidence of cyber violence is challenging and time-consuming. Digital attacks are sometimes elusive and complex,” reported Wallner. On the one hand, networking between the responsible institutions is particularly important in order to find a common way of dealing with cyber violence in the context of relationships, and on the other hand, social discourse to create awareness of the topic.
Cyberbullying ads were also analyzed for the study. According to this, 47 percent of the cyber bullying reports examined were brought in by women against their (ex) partners. The majority of these women also reported other crimes, such as dangerous threats. According to the experts, the analysis of the files also confirms some of the previous assumptions, as it became clear that cyberbullying in the context of relationships affected women of different ages and was usually practiced in a sexualized manner.
Victims can contact the violence protection centers. The Federal Association of Violence Protection Centers can be reached at 0800-700-217.
( SERVICE – The study is available here www.fh-campuswien.ac.at/cyber-gewalt )
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