ABSTRACT
Introduction 300 Cyber Socializing and the Growth of Hi-Tech Crimes 301 Problems Involved in Conceptualizing Cyber OŠenses ›at Target SNW Users 302 Typology and Patterns of Victimization of Women on SNWs 305 ›e Emotional and Physical Risk Factors of Women Members of SNWs 308
›e Emotional SuŠering 308 Case Study 1 309 Case Study 2 310 Case Study 3 310
›e Physical ›reat 310 Case Study 310
Reasons for the Growth of Victimization of Women in Cyber Socialization 311
Easy Availability of Victims’ (Women’s) Personal Information 311 Ignorance and Negligence of the Users 311 Scheming Ways to Hide One’s Real Identity Under Camou´aged Proles 312
Lackadaisical Response of the SNWs 313 Lack of Uniform Laws, Conventions, and Rules 314
Conclusion 314 References 315
Socialization through social networking websites (SNWs) has become a favorite hobby for “gizmo freaks”2 who are self-supporting, educated, independent, modern women of the 21st century. Social networking websites help users make new virtual friends and oŠer the promise to reconnect with old friends and relatives. Most women who use this new method of socialization see it as a stress reliever. Cyber socializing through SNWs help women users to share with like-minded friends their emotional needs, personal problems, culinary skills, and tips for child care and health care, including pregnancy and post pregnancy issues. ›ese women users discuss these “needs,” tips, and even their “mood swings” with their virtual friends who become “emotional comfort zones” for them either by writing on walls of some group/ community forums or on the walls of their friends’ proles. Fraim (2006) denes cyber socialization as the “computerized interaction with known or unknown individuals for the purpose of research, entertainment, establishment of friendships or relationships due to feelings of loneliness, and sexual gratication” (p. 3). Internet socializing is “electronic interaction” (Fraim, 2006) with virtual friends through chat rooms, e-mails, forums (created by domain hosts such as Google, Yahoo, etc.), and SNWs.
