Online abuse : problematic for all Australians

Purpose: This paper aims to disseminate results from research into three forms of online abuse: text messages, picture messages and online stalking.

Design/methodology/approach: Using a mixed methods design, qualitative and quantitative datasets were derived from an online anonymous questionnaire to identify themes associated with incidents of online abuse.

Findings: Women of all ages have experienced online abuse from men and other women. Men have also been targets of online abuse from other men and women.

Research limitations/implications: Researchers should strive to include mature-aged cohorts.

Practical implications: Researchers should not limit themselves to education settings for their sampling. Online abuse may meet the legal definition of “psychic assault”. The recent legislation against online abuse needs to extend beyond protecting young people and children. Social media owners must take more responsibility for the content on their platforms.

Social implications: The results from this research strongly suggest that gender alone is no longer pivotal to ones’ vulnerability to online abusers.

Originality/value: This research uses a more age-inclusive sample to include the experiences of people aged 25–75, who have largely been excluded from previous studies that have concentrated on the 18–25 age group.

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