How do young adults protect themselves from cybervictimization

A review of protective measures currently used by young adults in Canada

How do young adults protect themselves from cybervictimization? PDF Version (1.22 MB)

Introduction
Key terms
Findings
Conclusion

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Introduction

There are new data available on the use of protective measures for cybervictimization among young adults (aged 18 to 29). Using data from the 2018 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces (SSPPS), this product explores the relationship between cybervictimization and in-person victimization, as well as the types of protective measures used by young adults who have experienced cybervictimization.

Key terms

Cybervictimization^{Footnote 1}

Can be described as intentional and repeated harm done through the use of technology. People on the receiving end of this harm are considered cyber victims.^{Footnote 2}

Protective measures

Actions that an individual may take to protect themselves from harm. For example, a cyber victim may use online protective measures such as blocking people and deleting their online account to limit further harassment. Protective measures do not necessarily prevent cybervictimization.

This information is not meant to blame victims, only provide information of what protective measures victims are sometimes forced to take. Preventing online violence should also involve updating policies, education, and updating laws that prevent this type of violence.

Indigenous

The term Indigenous is used to refer to all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people. This was a self-selected identity survey question.

Findings^{Footnote 3}

Young adults who have experienced in-person victimization, such as stalking, physical or sexual assault, and other types of unwanted behaviours in public were also likely to be cyber victims.^{Footnote 4}

Figure 1: Full data is available in the image description, Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3 — **Figure 1: Experiences of cybervictimization among young adults aged 18 to 29, by in-person victimization in the past 12 months, and gender, 2018^{Footnote 4}**

Table 1: Felt unsafe or uncomfortable in public
Men	Women	Total
41%	46%	45%

Table 2: Experienced cybervictimization - Was stalked
Men	Women	Total
57%	72%	67%

Table 3: Experienced physical/sexual assault
Gender	One incident	Two or more incidents
Men	44%	54%
Women	62%	70%
Total	54%	64%

Young adults use different kinds of measures to protect themselves from cybervictimization and in-person victimization.

Online strategies for protection against cybervictimization:

blocking people
limiting internet usage, or
deleting one's internet presence^{Footnote 4}

In-person strategies for protection against physical victimization:

carrying something for protection (e.g., whistle, knife, pepper spray)
checking the back seat for intruders before getting into a car
planning a route with safety in mind
staying home for fear of going out alone, or
locking windows and doors at home^{Footnote 5}

Young adults often withdrew from social media or limited their online activities in response to cybervictimization:^{Footnote 4}

22% of young adults said that they blocked people on the internet because of harassment
13% said that they restricted their access to the internet to protect themselves from harassment; and
3% said they deleted their online account because of harassment

Young women were more than twice as likely as young men to block people because of harassment.^{Footnote 4}

Across all age groups, young women were more likely to use any type of online protective measures compared to young men.^{Footnote 4}

Figure 2: Full data is available in the image description below and Table 4 — **Figure 2: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by women, 2018**^{Footnote 5}

Table 4: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by women, 2018 (Figure 2)^{Footnote 5}
Type of online protective measure	18 to 21	22 to 25	26 to 29	Total
Blocked people because of harassment	31%	35%	33%	27%
Restricted own access to protect self	17%	14%	20%	17%
Deleted online account because of harassment	4%	4%	5%	4%

Figure 3: Full data is available in the image description below and Table 5 — **Figure 3: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by men, 2018**

Table 5: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by men, 2018 (Figure 3)
Type of online protective measure	18 to 21	22 to 25	26 to 29	Total
Blocked people because of harassment	13%	15%	13%	11%
Restricted own access to protect self	10%	7%	10%	11%
Deleted online account because of harassment	3%	2%	3%	2%

2SLGBTQIA+ young adults were more likely to report using all types of online protective measures compared to their non-2SLGBTQIA+ counterparts. Across all age groups, 2SLGBTQIA+ young adults were also twice as likely as their non-2SLGBTQIA+ counterparts to report blocking people because of harassment.^{Footnote 5}

2SLGBTQIA+ young adults aged 18 to 21 and 22 to 25 were around three times as likely as their non-2SLGBTQIA+ counterparts to delete their online account because of harassment.

Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by sexual/gender diversity, 2018^{Footnote 5}

Figure 4: Full data is available in the image description below and Table 6 — **Figure 4: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by non-2SLGBTQIA+ people, 2018**

Table 6: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, non-2SLGB2QIA+ people, 2018 (Figure 4)
Type of online protective measure	18 to 21	22 to 25	26 to 29	Total
Blocked people because of harassment	24.1%	21.1%	16.7%	20.3%
Restricted own access to protect self	9.2%	14.5%	13.6%	12.6%
Deleted online account because of harassment	2.7%	3.3%	2.9%	3.0%

Figure 5: Full data is available in the image description below and Table 7 — **Figure 5: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by 2SLGBTQIA+ people, 2018**

Table 7: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by non-2SLGBTQIA+ people, 2018 (Figure 5)
Type of online protective measure	18 to 21	22 to 25	26 to 29	Total
Blocked people because of harassment	37.3%	44.9%	39.6%	41.0%
Restricted own access to protect self	19.1%	20.5%	19.3%	19.7%
Deleted online account because of harassment	9.1%	9.4%	5.8%	8.1%

Indigenous young adults were more likely to use all types of online protective measures compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts.^{Footnote 5}

Overall, Indigenous young adults were three times as likely as their non-Indigenous counterparts to report deleting their online account because of harassment.

Indigenous young adults aged 18 to 21 were twice as likely as their non-Indigenous counterparts to restrict their own access to protect themselves.

Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by Indigenous Identity, 2018^{Footnote 5}

Figure 6: Full data is available in the image description below and Table 8 — **Figure 6: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by non-Indigenous Identity, 2018**

Table 8: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by non-Indigenous Identity, 2018 (Figure 6)
Type of online protective measure	18 to 21	22 to 25	26 to 29	Total
Blocked people because of harassment	26.9%	22.8%	19.1%	22.6%
Restricted own access to protect self	8.5%	14.2%	14.1%	12.5%
Deleted online account because of harassment	2.9%	2.5%	3.0%	2.8%

Figure 7: Full data is available in the image description below and Table 9 — **Figure 7: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by Indigenous Identity, 2018**

Table 9: Use of online protective measures by young adults aged 18 to 29, by Indigenous Identity, 2018 (Figure 7)
Type of online protective measure	18 to 21	22 to 25	26 to 29	Total
Blocked people because of harassment	28.7%	31.1%	23.9%	28.0%
Restricted own access to protect self	20.2%	19.2%	16.3%	18.5%
Deleted online account because of harassment	n/a^{Footnote F}	13.6%	7.4%	9.4%

Conclusion

Protective measures may help to safeguard cyber victims from experiencing more harassment, but they do not prevent cybervictimization. More research on the effectiveness of different protective measures is needed to better understand what strategies can protect young adults from cyber harm.

References

Footnote 1

The 2018 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces explored Canadians' experiences about personal experiences at home and in the workplace, in public spaces and online. Survey content included questions about inappropriate behaviours experienced online while using a cell phone or smartphone, the most serious incident experienced online while using one of these devices, the perpetrators of these incidents, and the ensuing consequences.

Return to footnote 1

Footnote 2

Maxwell, E., Khanna, N., & Craig, W. (2022). Examining key populations in the context of implementing cyberbullying prevention and intervention initiatives: Literature review on the role of the family. Public Safety Canada.

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Footnote 3