Digital Footprints and Broken Bonds: Identity Theft, Surveillance, and the Erosion of Autonomy in Marital Cybercrimes

Abstract

This investigation centers on the alarming increase of digital surveillance and identity theft in marital relationships and the adverse effects of these cybercrimes on trust, personal autonomy, and emotional security. The study’s findings indicate that significant psychological harm befalls the victims of these newfangled crimes. The author found several studies that showed such harm leads to anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder in some victims. The study also reveals that technology gives abusers new avenues by which to exert control over their partners. The research brings to light the urgent requirement for legal safeguards, therapeutic solutions, and an enlightened public consciousness, all centered on the phenomenon of digital abuse. This study adopts a cyberpsychological perspective to make the not-so-obvious point that digital abuse is much more than technological misbehavior; it is a serious infringement on the relational and emotional health of the individual. This report concludes that understanding the dynamics of digital abuse, much like understanding the dynamics of any other kind of abuse, is fundamental to figuring out how best to prevent, recover from, and legally redress this infringement. KEYWORDS: marital cybercrimes, digital surveillance, identity theft, cyberpsychology, emotional abuse, cyberstalking, online harassment, revenge porn, stalkerware