Nearly one in five South Korean women reported being threatened with the distribution of their sexual images, the highest rate among all countries surveyed. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jul. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – A groundbreaking international study has shed light on the alarming prevalence of image-based sexual abuse, with South Korean women emerging as particularly vulnerable victims.
The research, published in the academic journal “Human Behavior and Computing,” was conducted by professor Nicola Henry from RMIT University in Australia and Rebecca Umbach, a senior researcher at Google.
The study, which surveyed over 16,000 individuals across 10 countries, revealed that South Korea stands out with uniquely troubling statistics. While most countries reported higher victimization rates among men, South Korea was the only nation where women experienced significantly more abuse.
Nearly one in five South Korean women reported being threatened with the distribution of their sexual images, the highest rate among all countries surveyed.
Equally concerning is the high rate of female perpetrators in South Korea. Over 16% of South Korean women admitted to making such threats, a figure drastically higher than in other countries where female perpetration rates rarely exceeded 5%.
Furthermore, South Korean women reported the highest incidence of being both victims and perpetrators of image-based abuse.
Researchers hypothesize that these distinctive patterns may be attributed to the pervasiveness of image-based sexual abuse in South Korean society. Henry suggested that some victims might resort to retaliatory threats, perpetuating a cycle of abuse.
The study also highlighted common trends across countries, such as former or current partners being the most frequent perpetrators. However, male victims often reported abuse from colleagues or caregivers, adding another layer of complexity to the issue.
Umbach emphasized the urgent need for more comprehensive research and resources to address adult-targeted sexual exploitation. She called for collaborative efforts between tech companies and regulators to develop effective policies and protocols for detecting, preventing, and responding to these crimes.
Google, which supported the research, expressed hope that these findings would deepen understanding of image-based sexual exploitation and drive innovation in combating this pervasive issue.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
