One in four US women face rising tide of online abuse

Research by privacy service Incogni and the National Organisation for Women found that more than one in four adult women in the United States have experienced online abuse or harassment, with higher rates among LGBTQ+ women and non-white women.

The findings are based on a nationwide survey of 10,000 adult women conducted in January 2026. The study examined the prevalence and sources of online abuse, its consequences for victims, and how publicly accessible personal information can contribute to harassment and other forms of victimisation.

Overall, 27% of women said they had experienced online abuse or harassment-an increase from the previous year. LGBTQ+ women reported a much higher rate, at 55%. Non-white women reported a 32% abuse rate, compared with 24% among white respondents.

Data exposure

The research linked online abuse to the availability of personal data online. It found that 79% of respondents believed publicly accessible personal data is used to target victims. Despite that concern, only 17% said they had tried to remove their information from the internet.

Some respondents reported direct harms tied to their personal information being available online. Four per cent said they had experienced physical abuse, and 7% said they had been harassed as a result.

The survey also pointed to harassment originating within existing social circles. More than 40% of victims said the person responsible was someone they personally knew at least once.

Safety fears

Nearly half of women who experienced harassment said they feared for their physical safety, suggesting online abuse can have real-world consequences.

Cyberbullying and trolling were the most common forms of abuse. Social media platforms and messaging apps were the most frequent channels through which harassment occurred.

The study also examined harassment linked to artificial intelligence. AI-related harassment appeared relatively rare in responses, but victims often found it difficult to identify.

Younger women reported higher exposure than older cohorts. LGBTQ+ women and people in public-facing professions were among the groups flagged as especially vulnerable.

Legal protections

Views on current legal protections were overwhelmingly negative. Only 14% of women said existing laws adequately protect victims of online abuse.

The research described a gap between the scale of online harassment and the tools available to respond, as well as a disconnect between awareness of data-exposure risks and steps taken to reduce them.

Incogni offers a paid service that seeks to remove personal information from data brokers and people-search sites, positioning data removal as a way to reduce the risk of harassment and other misuse.

The National Organisation for Women is a membership-based advocacy group focused on women's rights and equality in the United States. Its work includes policy advocacy at national, state, and local levels.

"Online abuse is no longer confined to isolated incidents. It reflects a broader personal safety and privacy challenge fueled by the accessibility of personal data and the evolving digital environment," said Darius Belejevas, head of Incogni.

"Empowering individuals with greater control over their data is a critical step toward reducing exposure, preventing harassment, and improving overall online safety," Belejevas added.

The survey was conducted using Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing between January 8 and January 16, 2026. Researchers applied quotas for age, ethnicity, and geographic location, and examined abuse types, sources of harassment, platform dynamics, and the relationship between personal data exposure and victimisation.