The Predictors of Female Adolescents’Online Sexual Harassment Victimization: An Empirical Analysis of Multiple Criminological Theories

It has widely been accepted that online sexual harassment against women has the detrimental impact on their physical health, mental well-being, and positive socialization. Theories of self-control, social bond, and lifestyle-routine activity are major approaches to the understanding of online victimization. This research project focuses on a data set of Chinese female adolescents, and it investigates factors contributing to the possibility of women who are being victimized by online sexual harassment. Results show that low self-control, low social bonds, social learning, and risky online lifestyle are significantly and positively related to the increased risk of online sexual harassment against women. We also found that the experience of receiving sexual material gives rise to the victimization rate. We suggest that a feasible approach to the prevention of online sexual harassment is to reduce the inductive and susceptible indicators of victimization in various circumstances.