In today's hyperconnected world, where much of our social and professional lives plays out online, the digital realm should feel safe and respectful. But for many, particularly women, young boys and marginalised groups, that's far from reality. Cyber-sexual harassment is a growing and deeply harmful issue that demands greater awareness and action.
Author
- Freya O'Brien
Senior Lecturer in Policing, Liverpool John Moores University
Cyber-sexual harassment describes a wide range of unwanted or abusive sexual behaviour online. Gender harassment includes offensive messages, images, or memes targeting someone's gender, often without direct sexual content - but still deeply degrading. Unwanted sexual attention online can take the form of unsolicited sexting or cyberflashing - sending sexually explicit images to another person without their consent.
Sexual coercion is using threats, blackmail or emotional manipulation to force someone into sharing intimate content or engaging in sexual behaviour online. A growing concern is sextortion - where victims are blackmailed with private images, often under, sometimes unbearable , pressure.
According to UK police data , an average of 117 sextortion cases involving children were reported monthly between January and May 2024. The Internet Watch Foundation even found children as young as 11 being targeted.
Terrible toll
Cyber-sexual harassment isn't just invasive - it's damaging. Our study builds on clinical psychologist Marvin Iroegbu's doctoral research on the relationship between cyber-sexual harassment and psychological difficulties in women. We found that women who experienced online sexual harassment reported significantly poorer mental health than those who hadn't. Anxiety, depression , trauma and poor body image were all more likely . Our research suggests that this may stem from increased self-objectification and a heightened focus on physical appearance due to being targeted.
Government research shows that women experience online abuse more frequently - and more severely - than men. Unwanted images, comments and messages are just the beginning. And the impact starts young. Studies highlight the psychological toll on both children and adults, noting that unexpected, anonymous and rapid abuse can leave victims feeling fearful , powerless , deeply ashamed and with low self-esteem .
Our research also found that younger women and those with large social media followings are more frequently targeted for cyber-sexual harassment. This may be due to greater online visibility or time spent on platforms . Our study also found that women in newer or no romantic relationships reported higher levels of harassment.
There's also a clear link between online and offline abuse. Victims of cyber-sexual harassment were more likely to report in-person harassment too. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality , online abuse often mirrors and extends to real-world gender-based violence.
Unequal burden
Cyber-sexual harassment disproportionately affects LGBT+ people and ethnic minorities . LGBT+ people often face sexualised threats, non-consensual outing and image-based abuse. People from ethnic minorities, meanwhile, are often subjected to racially charged sexual abuse, combining racism and misogyny .
Research into how cyber-sexual harassment affects these groups is still lacking, however. Many national cybercrime studies fail to include data on race, gender identity, or sexual orientation - making it harder to advocate for targeted support.
While the Online Safety Bill now allows for prosecution of offences such as cyberflashing - with recent convictions in some cases leading to prison sentences for the offender - many victims still don't report abuse. Barriers include frustrating reporting systems, victim-blaming, and the perception among victims that their complaints won't be taken seriously.
New legislation should be assessed to see whether it sufficiently supports victims, encourages reporting, leads to convictions and deters perpetrators.
Many charities and organisations now provide support for online abuse victims - but more needs to be done. Mental health professionals are encouraged to consider online experiences as part of their patient assessments. Meanwhile, research like ours explores how different types of cyber-sexual harassment - such as the frequency or content of explicit messages - affect people differently.
One thing is clear: cyber-sexual harassment is intrusive, traumatic and rooted in a lack of respect for consent. Cyberflashing and other forms of online sexual abuse are not harmless jokes. They're violations. And no one should have to deal with them in silence.
Freya O'Brien does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
