Cyberspace is an emerging domain offering opportunities for communication and new experiences while generating anxiety and harm. Despite widespread access, some women report harmful experiences in this space. Accordingly, this study aims to understand the lived experiences of women harmed in cyberspace and explore the meaning of these experiences from their perspectives. This qualitative study used a phenomenological method in 2025 in Yazd, Iran. Participants consisted of 20 women who experienced harm in cyberspace, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed to describe and interpret participants’ lived experiences.



The findings indicate that women’s experiences often begin with digital seduction and emotional attention, leading to an idealized perception of cyberspace as a virtual utopia for compensating emotional deficiencies. Subsequently, online interactions produce performative, temporary happiness dependent on virtual attention. Over time, these experiences become associated with emotional dependency, exploitation, and psychological pressure, eventually turning into a virtual quagmire of entrapment. Ultimately, this process leads to an “island of loneliness,” marked by inner isolation and declining trust. The overall outcome suggests that the promised liberation of cyberspace ultimately turns into a “mirage of liberation.” The findings highlight the importance of strengthening media literacy and providing psychosocial support.