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Adult cyber abuse

Cyber abuse is behaviour that uses technology to threaten, intimidate, harass or humiliate someone. It can take place on social media, through online chat and messaging services, text messages, emails, on message boards and in online forums.

Examples of cyber abuse include:

  • Sharing intimate or sexual photos or videos online without consent – also known as image-based abuse
  • Targeted and persistent personal attacks aimed at ridiculing, insulting, damaging or humiliating a person
  • Encouraging someone to self-harm and/or suicide
  • Posting seriously offensive and shocking material
  • Repeatedly sending obscene messages to a person or their family, friends or work colleagues
  • Posting someone’s personal information on social media or elsewhere online, resulting in calls and visits from strangers
  • Threatening violence or inciting others to do the same
  • Stalking a person online and hacking into their accounts.

Take action on adult cyber abuse

  • If your situation is immediately life-threatening or urgent, contact one of the following emergency services:
    • WA Police: phone 000 in an emergency or life-threatening situation
    • ECU Security: call (08) 6304 3333 (24 hours a day)
    • ECU Out of Hours Crisis Line: phone 1300 583 032 or text 0488 884 232 (available 4:30pm to 8:30am on weekdays, and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays).
  • Resist the urge to respond and minimise exposure – if possible, try to switch off at certain times of the day. For example, keep your device out of your bedroom at night.
  • Save evidence. Before you block or delete, make sure you document what is happening. Check out the eSafety Commissioner’s advice on collecting evidence.
  • Block and mute the harasser, and if they reappear under a different name, block and mute them again. Report the person being abusive to the service or platform the material was posted on.
  • Make a complaint to ECU’s Complaints Resolution team. You can make a complaint as an ECU student, and you can also make a complaint as a member of the public about an ECU student.
  • Report to the Office of the eSafety Commissioner – they can provide general advice and guidance to adults experiencing cyber abuse.
  • Seek support – you can contact ECU’s counselling service for support. You can also contact 1800 Respect for confidential information, referral and counselling.

Source: eSafety Commissioner

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