Published March 2021

This factsheet compares annual trends regarding the prevalence of unwanted digital communications in Aotearoa New Zealand based on participants’ sexual orientation. There is emerging empirical evidence showing that people who identify as gender diverse and/or non-heterosexual report higher rates of risks and harm online. In New Zealand, for example, Netsafe’s research has revealed that adults identifying as non-heterosexual (18 and over) are more likely to experience image-based sexual abuse (Pacheco et al., 2019) and online hate (Pacheco & Melhuish, 2018b) compared to those identifying as heterosexual]1]. Similar patterns regarding online harassment have been reported in Australia and the United Kingdom (see Powell et al., 2018). To expand the available evidence, this factsheet presents new insights based on longitudinal data exploring and comparing the extent of four types of unwanted digital communications in the last two to three years. The factsheet looks at the prevalence of being the target and the sender of unwanted, potentially harmful digital communications that included physical threats, seeking to embarrass, stalking, and making a sexual advance. (From the document). Record #7126