Gendered Cyber Insecurities: Risk Perception, Protective Behaviors, and Victimization in Digital Environments

Growing reliance on digital infrastructures has intensified exposure to cyber threats, yet such risks are not evenly distributed across social groups. Drawing on feminist criminology and digital safety scholarship, this study examines gendered patterns of cyber (in)security in Türkiye by focusing on four dimensions: (1) cyber risk perception, (2) protective behaviors (“cyber hygiene”), (3) cyber-technical literacy, and (4) cyber victimization. The analysis distinguishes harassment-based harms (e.g., cyberbullying, leaking, stalking) from financially motivated attacks (e.g., phishing, ransomware, fraud), in line with research documenting gendered threat landscapes online. Data were collected via an online survey (N=387) administered to adult internet users in Türkiye. Key measures included a cyber risk perception index (endişe_), protective behavior index (onlem_), cyber-technical literacy index (bilgi_*), and a victimization score (scvic). Independent-samples t-tests and MANOVA were applied to assess gender effects. Results revealed significant multivariate differences (Wilks’ Λ=.916, p<.001). Univariate tests indicated that women scored higher on risk perception (p=.030) and slightly higher on protective behaviors, while men reported higher cyber-technical literacy (p=.061, marginal) and significantly higher victimization (p=.018). These asymmetries illustrate how gendered socialization and differential threat exposure shape online safety practices. Findings demonstrate that cyber insecurities are not merely technical phenomena but are embedded in broader socio-cultural structures.