Nearly half of cybercrimes in Australia go unreported, with women disproportionately affected by the most harmful forms of online offenses, according to findings from a national survey conducted by cybersecurity firm Sekuro and the organization Women in Digital. The study surveyed 2,003 people and revealed that 42 percent had been targeted or victimized by cybercrime in the past five years.

The data identified financial scams, data breaches, and hacking as the most common types of cyber offenses. While overall victimization rates appeared similar between men and women, the report emphasized that these figures masked significant gender differences in the nature of the crimes experienced. Men and women faced comparable exposure to high-volume, low-personalization crimes such as financial scams, but women were notably overrepresented in categories involving targeted, personalized cybercrimes, including digitally-enabled coercive control, stalking, and image-based extortion.

The report highlighted that these forms of cybercrime often involve sustained psychological manipulation, digital surveillance, and the exploitation of personal content, resulting in a disproportionate share of harm borne by women. Holly Hunt, founder and CEO of Women in Digital, pointed to factors such as shame, fear of judgment, and concerns about further exposure or victim-blaming as major contributors to the high levels of under-reporting. She noted that the absence of these incidents from official statistics leaves some of the most damaging cybercrimes largely invisible.

“Cybercrime can be deeply personal for victims, whether it involves sensitive information, threats or intimidation,” Hunt said, adding that the consequences of technology-facilitated abuse often extend beyond the digital realm into everyday life.

Noel Allnutt, chief executive of Sekuro, stressed that responsibility for addressing cybercrime should not rest solely on individuals. He called for improvements in systems, workplaces, and technological frameworks to better recognize how criminals target people and to simplify access to support services for victims.

The report underscores the need for a more comprehensive approach to cybercrime prevention and victim assistance, particularly to address the unique challenges faced by women subjected to personalized digital abuse.