Victimization of Women on Social Networks: Manifestations and Solutions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student in Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan Branch, Gorgan, Iran

2 Assistant professor of criminal law and criminology department Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan branch.Gorgan, Iran

10.22091/diplic.2025.13662.1024

Abstract

Despite their positive functions, virtual social networks have significant negative
effects on the occurrence of criminal behaviors. These effects can be examined at
two main levels: first, creating a suitable platform for cybercrimes against women
and second, inciting and facilitating crimes in the real space. From a criminological
perspective, various theories explain this phenomenon. Lifestyle, daily activity and
opportunity theories explain how social networks have become a platform for
cybercrime. In contrast, social learning, differential association and imitation
theories analyze the mechanism by which these networks influence users' behavior
and their propensity to commit crimes in the real world. Examples of cybercrime
against women include pornography, cyber stalking, defamation and spreading
falsehoods. On the other hand, the influence of networks in the real world can lead
to crimes such as murders caused by learning or imitation. Statistics show that
women are more exposed to online harassment than other users, which has severe
psychological consequences such as stress and anxiety and lasting emotional
damage. In the Iranian legal system, although laws have been passed to combat
cyber violence, the country's criminal policy in the field of preventing victimization
of women has serious shortcomings. The development of new technologies such as
artificial intelligence and techniques such as deepfake have added to the complexity
of these challenges and have increased the likelihood of increasing rates of
victimization in women. This situation makes it even more obvious than before the
need for a fundamental review of existing laws and the development of effective
preventive models.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Insights of Intellectual Property Law in Islamic Countries
Volume 1, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
September 2025
Pages 1-22

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