International Journal of Gender & Women's Studies

Gender Inequalities in the Prevalence, Perception, and Reporting of Cyberstalking in Malaysian University Students
Julia Gan

Abstract
Violence against women online is common yet likely under-reported and is often manifested through cyberstalking. The relatively new phenomenon of cyberstalking has yet to gain the attention it deserves in developing countries such as Malaysia, which is still struggling to implement any specific law pertaining to stalking, let alone cyberstalking. This study investigates the prevalence, perception, and reporting of cyberstalking among Malaysian University students in association with gender. Based on the interviews from respondents, it was found that females experience a higher prevalence of cyberstalking than males, perceive cyberstalking as more harmful, and are taken less seriously when reporting cyberstalking incidents. The limited awareness around gender discrepancies in cyberstalking in Malaysia may have a cultural component, as there is little to no acknowledgment of the issue in the Malaysian law, and individuals are not encouraged to conduct research and reports on this particular subject in the country. This gap in the prevalence, perception, and reporting of cyberstalking calls attention to the inequality between women and men. Future studies should consider the larger societal gender issue of gender discrepancies that is perpetuated online.

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijgws.v5n2a1