Much of Digital Abuse Comes From Known Perpetrators: Kaspersky

Kaspersky’s Invisible Control study finds that nearly 60% of technology-facilitated abuse victims report known perpetrators, identifying  friends, partners, and colleagues.

Kaspersky’s study on technology-facilitated abuse reports that 40.5% of victims identify unknown perpetrators, while nearly 60% report known individuals as aggressors.

“Among respondents who experienced tech-facilitated abuse, 40.5% said the primary source was someone they did not personally know,” reads Kaspersky report, surveying 7,600 respondents across 19 countries.

Within identified perpetrators, friends accounted for 14.7%, current partners for 9.6%, colleagues for 7.9%, other family members for 6.7%, and ex-partners for 5.8%.

The study reports that individuals abused by someone within a specific relationship category were more likely to report having engaged in abusive behavior toward the same category. Respondents abused by a friend reported 21% likelihood of acting abusively toward a friend, compared with 15% among those not reporting such abuse. For partners, the comparison was 12% versus 10%, and for family members, 11% versus 7%.

The research also reports that 44.97% of respondents admitted to participating in at least one form of abusive digital behavior in the past 12 months. These behaviors included blocking or excluding someone with intent to harm (19.8%), aggressive arguments in group chats or comment sections (19.5%), doxing (8.5%), and use of financial monitoring tools to control another person (8.4%).

The study reports generational differences in awareness of the term “technology-facilitated abuse.” Among Gen Z respondents, 81.2% reported familiarity with the term. Among Baby Boomers, 64.3% reported familiarity. Nearly 60% of Gen Z respondents reported experiencing at least one form of digital abuse in the past year.

Gender-based perception differences are also reported. The study says that 62.5% of women stated they feel unsafe online, compared with 54.2% of men. Additionally, 53.1% of women reported lacking confidence in navigating digital spaces, compared with 43.5% of men.

Regarding perceived consequences, 79.1% of respondents identified psychological impacts such as depression, trauma, and long-term stress; 73.3% identified social consequences, including reputational damage, strained relationships, and isolation; 54.4% associated economic consequences such as career damage or financial loss; 51.3% identified potential physical escalation, including threats to personal safety.

The study reports that 22.3% of victims took no action following abuse incidents. Among Baby Boomers, this figure rises to 36.6%.

Among those who took action, 26.6% reported directly confronting the perpetrator, 24% searched online for guidance, and 19.2% sought support from friends or family. Less than 14% reported incidents to police, fewer than 8% contacted domestic violence organizations, and fewer than 2% contacted a helpline.

When witnessing abuse, 12.3% of respondents reported taking no action. Among those who did act, 31.7% cited uncertainty about how to help, and 22.6% were unsure whether intervention was appropriate.

Context From the Source

The study was conducted by Kaspersky’s internal market research center and focuses on technology-facilitated abuse and its social consequences across multiple regions. The report defines technology-facilitated abuse as behaviors including monitoring of private communications, requesting access to accounts, tracking location, and controlling communications. These behaviors are described as potentially escalating into surveillance, intimidation, or coercion.

The study emphasizes relational proximity between victims and perpetrators, noting that abuse occurs within both known and unknown relationships. The report also includes analysis of perception gaps across age groups, gender differences in perceived safety, and variations in behavioral response patterns among victims and witnesses.