Kaspersky Study Finds Nearly Half of Tech-Enabled Abuse Victims Know Their Perpetrators
Nearly one in two victims of technology-facilitated abuse have been targeted by someone within their own social circle, according to the second installment of a new global report released by Kaspersky, highlighting how digital abuse is increasingly rooted in personal relationships rather than anonymous online encounters.
Based on a survey conducted by Kaspersky’s internal market research center involving 7,600 respondents across 19 countries, the study found that almost 50% of victims identified the perpetrator as someone they knew. Friends accounted for 15% of reported cases, followed by current partners at 10%, colleagues at 8%, family members at 7%, and former partners at 6%. By comparison, 40% of respondents said the abuse originated from strangers.
The findings suggest that technology-enabled abuse often develops within existing relationships and can become cyclical. Individuals who reported being abused by friends, partners or family members were significantly more likely to admit engaging in similar behavior toward those same groups, indicating that harmful digital interactions may become normalized and self-reinforcing over time.
The report also revealed a pronounced generational divide in awareness and exposure to digital abuse. Around 81% of Generation Z respondents said they were familiar with the concept of tech-enabled abuse, compared with only 64% of Baby Boomers. Nearly 60% of Gen Z participants reported experiencing at least one form of digital abuse during the past year, the highest level among all age groups surveyed.
Women were found to feel considerably less secure online than men. According to the study, 62% of women said they feel unsafe in digital environments, compared with 54% of men, underscoring the unequal experiences individuals face online and the heightened risks and emotional pressures encountered by many women.
Tatyana Shishkova, Lead Security Researcher and Acting Head of Research Center Americas & Europe at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT), said the findings challenge traditional perceptions of cyber threats.
“From a cybersecurity perspective, the fact that nearly 50% of tech-enabled abuse cases originate from someone within a victim’s social circle significantly changes how we should approach protection,” Shishkova said. “These threats are often embedded in everyday interactions, trusted devices and shared access to accounts or data, making them harder to detect and easier to overlook.”
She stressed that strengthening digital hygiene, understanding how permissions and access can be misused, and relying on trusted cybersecurity tools are essential measures for reducing risks and preventing abuse from escalating.
Dr. Leonie Maria Tanczer, Associate Professor at UCL Computer Science and Head of the Gender and Tech Research Lab, said the study dispels the notion that digital abuse is primarily anonymous.
“These findings challenge the persistent assumption that technology-facilitated abuse is mainly committed by strangers,” she said. “Instead, they demonstrate that such harm is often embedded within relationships that are traditionally associated with trust and emotional safety.”
According to Tanczer, the immediacy and intensity of digital platforms can amplify conflicts and make abusive behavior more difficult to interrupt, highlighting the importance of recognizing relational patterns in efforts to tackle technology-facilitated abuse.
As part of its efforts to combat online abuse, Kaspersky remains a co-founder of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, an international alliance bringing together cybersecurity companies, non-governmental organizations, research institutions and law enforcement agencies to address cyberstalking and support victims.
The cybersecurity company urged users to remain vigilant by recognizing early warning signs of digital abuse, strengthening privacy settings, enabling two-factor authentication, avoiding unnecessary sharing of devices and accounts, and seeking support from trusted individuals or professional organizations when needed.
Founded in 1997, Kaspersky provides cybersecurity and digital privacy solutions for consumers, businesses, governments and critical infrastructure operators worldwide. The company says it has protected more than one billion devices and currently serves nearly 200,000 organizations globally.