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What are Cyber Crimes?
The internet has brought us many amazing things and done wonders in making the world feel smaller. Whether you’re getting reacquainted with old high school friends, finding long-lost family members, or meeting new friends with new hobbies, the internet makes it so much easier to socialize.
For all of the good, there is some bad. Because of how easy it is to access the internet, whether it be from the phone in your pocket or the family computer in your living room, it is almost impossible not to be influenced by the internet on a daily basis.
When you hear about cyber crimes, you probably think about things like fraud, theft of intellectual property, identity theft, invasion of privacy, and the like. But in this modern age of constant internet exposure, how often do you think about nefarious characters preying on you or your children and things like sexual harassment on the internet?
This isn’t Sexual Harassment Is It?
When thinking about sexual harassment, we often think of it happening in person. Sexual harassment includes things like unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.
It is important to remember that sexual harassment can be physical, but it can also never cross over to physical touch. Sexual comments can count as sexual harassment.
But what about when we’re online? What counts as sexual harassment when we are on our phones and computers?
Here are a few examples of cyber sexual harassment as defined by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center:
- Sending someone unwelcome communication about sex.
- Sending someone unwelcome hateful comments based on sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
- Sending unwanted requests for nude photos or videos to anyone.
- Someone recording themselves doing sexual acts without the consent of everyone involved and sharing it on the internet.
- Sharing private images or videos without the consent of all who appear in the recorded materials. This can include “revenge porn,” where a former partner shares explicit materials without the consent of their former partner.
- Sharing pornography in spaces where not everyone has consented to seeing such materials.
- Grooming children to enable their sexual abuse both online and offline.
How Can You Protect Yourself From Online Sexual Harassment?
It is unfortunate that in this day and age, we still have to take extra precautions when doing something as simple as logging onto social media. Did you know that internet providers and social media platforms are not liable for the content that third parties use their platforms to post. This means that even if you have solid proof that someone used a certain platform to harass you, that platform isn’t under a legal obligation to protect you.
- If the platforms we use aren’t going to protect us, then what are some things we can do to protect ourselves?
- Here are a few measures you can take in an attempt to stay safe while online:
- Block people who send you unwanted sexual content.
- Report the harassment to the social media platform or the website where the harassment occurred.
- If someone posts images of you on social media or another website without your consent, you can request that the images be removed.
- If someone is threatening you with physical harm, if you don’t engage in sexual activities, you may want to report the threats to law enforcement.
To further protect yourself, you should also take screen captures of all pertinent evidence. If you do not know how to take screen captures using your phone, you can easily use a search engine to find out how to do so with your particular phone model.
If you are using Windows you can press the Windows key + Print Screen key to take a screen capture on your PC.
If you are using a Mac, you can press the Shift key + Command Key + the 3 key to take a screen capture.
This evidence can be useful for criminal legal action as well as civil legal action.
What is Online Predatory Behavior?
Online predatory behavior is the act of using the internet to seek out vulnerable people to sexually exploit or abuse. While the victims of online predators tend to be children and teens, people of any age, race, gender, and sexual orientation can be the victims of online predators.
Predators can use social media, chatrooms, online games, and message boards to seek out their victims. The predator may push their victim to send explicit content, interact in a sexual manner, or even meet in person, where the abuse can continue and often worsen.
Some signs of an online predator may include:
- Using a fake account with a fake name and pictures.
- Lying about their age, often saying they are the same age as their intended victim.
- Requesting private chats where they seek out more personal information often makes their victim feel special.
What Can You Do Against Online Predators and Cyber Sexual Harassment?
Victims of online predators and cyber sexual harassment can often feel powerless. Online abusers use the veil of anonymity to prey on their victims or to harass someone, leaving their victims feeling afraid and alone.
If you are the victim of online harassment or predatory behavior, the first thing you should do is collect evidence, such as user names, photos, and screencaps of the illicit actions.
Then, you should report the interaction to local law enforcement, giving them all of the evidence you have collected.
Most importantly, you should contact the experienced lawyers at Andreozzi + Foote to schedule your free, confidential consultation.
Our team is well-versed regarding online sexual harassment and predators. By Calling 866-311-8640, you can put the right foot forward in protecting yourself and your loved ones and bringing your abuser to justice!
