51.13pc females vulnerable to cybercrimes: Study

A study has found that around 73.71 per cent victims of cybercrimes - both male and female - are aged between 18 and 30 years.

Conducted by Cyber Crime Awareness Foundation, the report found that among the victims 51.13 per cent sufferers are female and 48.87 percent are male.

According to the report, among the victims, 10.52 per cent are below 18 years, 12.77 per cent are from 30 to 45 years and 3.0 percent are above 45 per cent.

The findings of the survey were shared at a roundtable organised by the foundation at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). The findings were drawn from interviews of 133 cybercrime victims.

The report said cybercrimes might go beyond control due to lack of clear knowledge about remedy, fear of reprisal and wariness to reveal truth.

Females of the country are the least safe due to fake social networking accounts, hacking and concealing information, the study says.

On average 14.29 per cent females become victim of propaganda through fake accounts, while it is 12.78 per cent in the case of males, it says.

Despite being victims of cybercrimes, some 30 per cent of the sufferers do now know how to take legal steps, while 25 per cent do not feel to go to the law enforcement agencies sensing that it will not work to get remedy, said the survey.

Of the participants in the survey, 7.0 per cent of the 21 per cent expressed satisfaction after lodging their complaints. While 23 per cent sufferers keep the whole thing secret fearing harassment.

Cyber Crime Awareness Foundation suggested taking awareness programmes including awareness about related laws, increasing skilled workforce in law enforcement agencies, give priority to domestic organisation for ensuring cyber security and accelerating private and public initiatives.

Joint Secretary of ICT ministry Abul Mansur Mohammad Sharfuddin attended the function as the chief guest while founder and convener of Cyber Crime Awareness Foundation Kazi Mustafiz presented the report.

Assistant Prof of Anthropology Department at Dhaka University Rasheda Rounok Khan, Cyber Crime Awareness Foundation adviser AKM Nazrul Haider, co-founders Emdadul Haque and Tanzia Khanam and Internet Service Provider Association of Bangladesh joint secretary Moin Uddin Ahmed, among others, were present, reports UNB.