As online romance surges, so does the popularity of online romance scam. While existing research predominantly emphasizes financial scams, our study introduces "body scam" which is not for financial gain, but just for sexual abuse. We conducted interviews with 20 victims of online dating fraud with sexual scam experience in Iran, delving into their story in a context where dating is legally, socially, and normatively complex. Through inductive coding, our findings reveal a notable shift in victimization risks, particularly for women, with a growing emphasis on predatory sexual intent rather than purely financial motivation. This study not only sheds light on the evolving landscape of online dating risks but also underscores the significance of understanding the nuances of sexual intentions in the Iranian context.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Amirkhani et al. (2024) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 4 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: