Cyber Violence: its Causes, Types, and Link to Cybercrime

Abstract

The current study aimed to explore cyber violence (also known as electronic violence), its types, causes, and its connection to cybercrime through social media platforms. The research aimed to address several questions regarding electronic violence and its impact on individuals and society. Additionally, it aims to identify the various forms of electronic violence prevalent among youth, the influencing factors contributing to its spread, and its social and psychological effects on others.

The study reached several conclusions, the most important of which are: It is evident that electronic violence is not a uniform phenomenon but manifests in diverse forms, including, but not limited to, sexual harassment via the internet, cyberbullying, cyber extortion, defamation, and identity theft. These types are not fixed; rather, they continually evolve alongside technological advancements. The causes of electronic violence extend beyond individual motives and encompass psychological factors such as behavioral disorders, the desire for control, and lack of empathy; social factors such as absence of family supervision, social pressures, and low awareness of risks; and technological factors such as the proliferation of platforms lacking effective monitoring and the ease of identity concealment. Electronic violence is not merely harmful behavior in itself; in many cases, it serves as a precursor or an integral part of more organized and complex cybercrimes. For example, bullying may escalate into financial extortion, and defamation may be used as a means to breach systems or gather information for fraudulent purposes.