Victims and Victimization

The hub’s mission is to empower communities through participatory, research-driven cybersecurity education. Specifically, we aim to:

1. Partner with communities to co-create solutions. We work closely with vulnerable groups, practitioners, and local organizations to ensure that our research reflects lived experiences and supports real needs.

2. Build inclusive, accessible cybersecurity education. Our projects prioritize formats that resonate with diverse audiences and remove barriers to understanding cyber threats.

3. Strengthen resilience and digital confidence. By fostering awareness, dialogue, and skills, we promote safer online practices and reduce vulnerability to fraud across age, culture, and community contexts.

4. Translate scholarship into action. Our interdisciplinary team converts research findings into practical interventions—from stage performances to training modules—so that academic knowledge directly benefits the public.

5. Inspire future collaborative research. These initiatives lay the groundwork for new partnerships among universities, community groups, cybersecurity experts, and creative professionals, advancing the co-development of programs that keep pace with emerging digital challenges.

Roh, M., Parti, K., Gomez-Baya, D., Sanders, C., & Englander, E. (2025) Parental phubbing and parenting styles’ effect on adolescent bullying involvement depending on their attachments to significant adults. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion.

Parti, K. (2025) From Re-Traumatization of Victims Toward a Just Criminal Legal Process: The Importance of Professional Training on the NICHD Protocol on Children’s Interview Technique. Journal of Applied Security Research, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/19361610.2025.2598062

Parti, K., Abdelhamid, S., & Ladancsik, T. (2025). Designing for Life: A Socioeconomic View of Digital Learning Preferences in Cybersecurity, with Emphasis on Older Adults. Societies, 15(12), 342. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15120342

Parti, K., *Silis, S., Teaster, P., Rinehart, S., Dye, C. (2025). “This Is Not a Scam!”: Assessment of an Awareness Raising Program Tackling Older Adults’ Scam Victimization in a Multi-Method Study. Journal of Qualitative Criminology and Criminal Justice. doi:10.21428/88de04a1.551ea5eb

Parti, K., Teaster, P., *Tahir, F. (2025). The Wisdom of the Scammed: Redefining Older Fraud Victim Support by Utilizing the Ecological Systems Framework. Security Journal, 38(49). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41284-025-00487-z

2024 Parti, K., Sanders, C., Breaux, R., & McCoy, M. (2024). Criminological, psychological, and human developmental attributions of pandemic-induced strain and digital cruelty. In D. A. Christakis, & L. Hale (Eds.), Handbook of Children and Screens (pp. 447-456). Springer Nature. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_61

Englander, E., Parti, K., Sanders, C., & McCoy, M. (2024). Cyberbullying and Sexting During the 2020 to 2022 Pandemic: New Definitions and Mental Health Issues. In M. Wright (ed.) The Psychology of Cyberbullying (pp. 235-244). NOVA Publishers. doi: https://doi.org/10.52305/IQSM0864

Englander, E., Sanders, C., & Parti, K. (2024). Positive and Negative Outcomes From Sexting. In Samieefar, N. (Ed.), Updates on Pediatric Health and Disease: Common Pediatric Diseases: Current Challenges; Vol:2. Bentham Books

Parti, K., Dearden, T., Hawdon, J. (2024). Perspectives of paid panel survey research in cybercrime victimization and offending: Validity of global online market research sampling and data collection. In R. Graham, S.G. Humer, C.S. Lee, & V. Nagy (eds.) Routledge International Handbook of Online Deviance, 1st ed. pp. 91-109, Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003277675

2023 Parti, K. (2023) Preventing revictimization in sexual assault investigations: Personal security and trauma-informed case management. Journal of Applied Security Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/19361610.2022.2161799

Parti, K., Dearden, T., & Hawdon, J. (2023). Understanding the Overlap of Online Offending and Victimization: Using Cluster Analysis to Examine Group Differences. In C. Marcum & S. Clevenger (eds.) The Link between Specific Forms of Online and Offline Victimization: A Collaboration Between the ASC Division of Victimology and Division of Cybercrime, London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003429678-7

2022 Parti, K. (2022) “Elder scam” risk profiles. Individual and situational factors of younger and older age groups’ fraud victimization. International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence and Cybercrime. 5(3), 20-40.

Parti, K., Sanders, C. E., & Englander, E. K. (2022) Sexting at an Early Age: Patterns and Poor Health-Related Consequences of Pressured Sexting in Middle and High School. Journal of School Health. doi:10.1111/josh.13258

Parti, K., Dearden, T., & Hawdon, J. (2022) Understanding the overlap of online offending and victimization: Using cluster analysis to examine group differences. Victims & Offenders, 17(5), 712-734, https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2022.2036655

Parti, K., Dearden, T., & Hawdon, J. (2022) Az amerikai lakosság cyberviktimizációja, különös tekintettel a COVID-19 hatására [Cyber victimization of the American population with special regard to COVID-19 induced lockdowns]. Kriminológiai Közlemények [Reviews in Criminology], 2022(82), 129-140.

2021 Parti, K., Robinson, A.R., Kohlmann, D.,* Viragh, E.,* & Varga-Sabjan, D.* (2021) Beyond obstacles: Toward justice for victims of sexual violence in Hungary. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211027990

Parti, K. & Robinson, A.R. (2021) What hinders victims from reporting sexual violence: A qualitative study with police officers, prosecutors, and judges in Hungary. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.1851

Performances to Reduce Online Scams (PROS) is an interdisciplinary program exploring the risk and protective factors of fraud victimization among older adults, culminating in the interactive theatre production This Is Not a Scam! which transforms mixed methods research into an engaging, awareness-raising performance. Led by Dr. Katalin Parti and Dr. Pamela Teaster, the project brings together students and collaborators across multiple fields to illuminate real victim experiences and foster intergenerational dialogue and community education around cyber fraud. Website: : https://liberalarts.vt.edu/research-centers/center-for-gerontology/pros--performances-to-reduce-online-scams.html

The Scam Victimization of International Students (SVIS) project investigates international students’ vulnerability to financial, identity-related, and immigration fraud through a mixed-methods study that documents the prevalence and impact of scams alongside the cultural and structural challenges students face in the U.S. In addition to generating research insights, the project provides interactive workshops and community-building initiatives that strengthen digital awareness, support institutional policy development, and enhance collective resilience through culturally competent scam-prevention education.

Age-Graded Online Learning Preferences of Cybersecurity, a follow-up to PROS, examines how adults of different ages prefer to learn about cybercrime and digital safety, using data from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults to assess how demographic factors, broadband access, and well-being shape engagement with theatre-based videos, animations, interactive

modules, and XR tools. Findings reveal wide variation in learning preferences across age groups, highlighting the need for more nuanced understanding of online learning and for designing cybersecurity education that is engaging, inclusive, and accessible to learners of all ages.

The Cyberbullying in College Students project, launched in 2021, gathers large-scale survey data from students at four major U.S. public universities, to examine the prevalence and dynamics of bullying, cyberbullying, sexting, and digital violence in college life. Integrating behavioral, psychological, and contextual measures, the study provides comprehensive portraits of digital harm among emerging adults and supports the development of evidence-based prevention strategies across diverse campus environments. Website: https://www.marccenter.org/serc

Anti-Scam Conversational Helper for On-call Resilience (ANCHOR), launched in 2025, develops evidence-based digital tools—including mobile applications and immersive XR environments—to strengthen older adults’ ability to recognize, navigate, and prevent digital fraud. This interdisciplinary collaboration across sociology, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering integrates victimization-prevention research with cutting-edge technology to enhance digital safety, confidence, and resilience among aging populations.

Community partners

Warm Hearth Village, Blacksburg, VA: https://retire.org/?utm_source=google_ads&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15063189055&gbraid=0AAAAAoNo8JaW8xZkbgmYDJoziWE-7hAfi&gclid=CjwKCAiAl-JBhBjEiwAn3rN7ViW8kUIO4rBr-MCUFNNsh5Gb6F8daZm3MtG9Fu-agmZQVEAjmf0hoC4woQAvD_BwE · Hamner Theatre, Crozet, VA: https://crozetarts.org/?page_id=58 · Center for Combating Elder Financial Abuse (ENDEFA): https://endefa.org/ · AARP Virginia Chapter: https://states.aarp.org/virginia/ · JoELoe Productions, Blacksburg, VA: https://www.joeloeproductions.com/ · Lightning Rod Special, Philadelphia, PA: https://www.lightningrodspecial.com/about · Montgomery Floyd Regional Library, Blacksburg, VA: https://www.mfrl.org/hours.php?branch=b · Virginia Association of Area Agency on Aging: https://vaaaa.org/

Academic partners

SERC: Social & Emotional Research Consortium – Exploring Traditional and Cyber Interactions: https://www.marccenter.org/serc

Interns and RAs

Victoria Bechtold (2021-)

Faika Jan (2020-)

Kirpa Kaur (2023-24)

Addison Midkiff (2023-25)

Samridhi Roshan (2021-22)

Sophia Silis (2023-24)

For additional research assistants and interns, see https://liberalarts.vt.edu/research-centers/center-for-gerontology/pros--performances-to-reduce-online-scams.html

"This Is Not a Scam!!" opens a conversation about online scams: https://news.vt.edu/content/news_vt_edu/en/contacts/crawford-mary.html

Cybercrimeology Podcast: Ep 96. Cybercrime Awareness Theatre: The Revolutionary Promise of Story Sharing. Oct 16, 2023: https://cybercrimeology.com/episodes/cybercrime-awareness-theatre-the-revolutionary-promise-of-story-sharing

Cybercrimeology Podcast January 1, 2024 Episode: https://cybercrimeology.com/episodes/twenty24

Virginia Tech experts provide holiday season tips and insights. VT News. December 9, 2024: https://news.vt.edu/content/news_vt_edu/en/articles/2024/12/2024-holiday-round-up-experts-Virginia-Tech.html

Susan Tompor: Scammers know how to make it sound like someone you know is calling. Detroit Free Press (Dec 17, 2024): https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2024/12/17/scammers-know-how-to-make-it-sound-like-someone-you-know-is-calling/76947200007/

Sari Harrar: When fraud hits home. Cover story. AARP Bulleting March/April 2025.

https://www.aarp.org/publications/bulletins/aarp-bulletin-march-april-2025/

Dan Tynan: I almost fell for this online scam. Tanium. Apr 3, 2025:

https://www.tanium.com/blog/i-almost-fell-for-this-online-scam-why-even-tech-pros-can-be-taken/

Experts explain ways to safeguard against AI-enhanced scams. VT News. Apr 30, 2025:

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2025/04/ChatGPT-4o-scams-safeguards-AI-LLM.html

PROS Project was part of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Research Paper Showcase in 2025: https://cyberinitiative.org/research/research-showcase/2025.html?mc_cid=d524d0d662&mc_eid=974434986a How can I shop safely online. Virginia Tech Magazine, Fall 2025: https://news.vt.edu/content/dam/news_vt_edu/magazine/25fall/fall25_mag_web_v2.pdf