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The Preying Mantis subreddit currently has 10,000 followers. Its goal is simple: to ambush creeps online and expose them for the entire internet to feast on. The community has been around since 2018, doing its part to make the world a better place by shaming inappropriate male behavior.
You can argue that communities like Preying Mantis are necessary to combat harassment against women online. Currently, it is only a growing problem that is far from being solved.
According to a 2024 report by UN Women, between 16 and 58 percent of women have experienced some form of unwanted contact online.
#7 This Person Has Been Annoying My Friend For The Past Week And This Would Have To Be My Favourite Screenshot
These statistics vary across parts of the world. Women in Arab states seem to experience this the most, with 60 percent of them reporting experiencing online violence.
In Europe and the USA, 23 percent of women aged 18 to 55 have reported dealing with harassment on the internet.
According to clinical and forensic psychologist Ahona Guha, victims of online harassment often experience mental health issues like anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and even ideations of self-harm. This is why she urges taking action.
One of her pieces of advice is to be firm in asking for these advances to stop. However, she also recognizes that it only works on some stalkers, not on a troll.
If all else fails, Guha advises blocking and using legal options as a last resort. The latter would be the recourse if the behavior has become a pattern. She also encourages keeping evidence, such as screenshots.
“It may be tempting to delete everything, but it’s important to screenshot all messages and calls, save emails, log any physical approaches, and keep evidence of any other form of contact,” she wrote, noting that it can help in building a case and involving law enforcement in the future.
