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DEIB and cybersecurity: protecting diverse employees from online harassment
In today’s digital world, ensuring cybersecurity isn’t just about safeguarding company data; it’s also about protecting the people who work for you. With the rise of remote work and digital communication, online harassment has become a growing concern, especially for employees who belong to diverse backgrounds.
You might wonder, how can companies truly protect their diverse workforce from the threat of online harassment. The key lies in understanding how Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) intersect with cybersecurity. If you’re unfamiliar, let’s explore the DEIB meaning and how integrating it with cybersecurity can foster a safer and more inclusive work environment.
The intersection of DEIB and cybersecurity
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging—what does it all mean in the context of cybersecurity? At its core, DEIB is about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and safe. This environment extends beyond physical spaces into the digital realm.
As companies increasingly depend on online platforms for communication and collaboration, they must recognize that threats to DEIB can manifest through cyberbullying, targeted harassment, and other forms of online abuse.
For many organizations, the link between DEIB and cybersecurity might not be immediately apparent. However, consider this: if a company’s cybersecurity measures don’t account for the specific vulnerabilities that diverse employees may face, they are at risk of feeling marginalized or unsafe.
For example, someone’s gender, race, or sexual orientation might make them a target for online harassment. Ensuring that cybersecurity policies consider these factors is crucial in providing a safe space for everyone.
Understanding the nature of online harassment
Online harassment can take many forms. It might be an employee receiving abusive messages based on their identity, or malicious attempts to hack into personal accounts. Unfortunately, individuals from marginalized communities are more likely to face such harassment.
So, what does this mean for your organization? It means that a one-size-fits-all approach to cybersecurity isn’t enough. Instead, understanding the unique challenges that diverse employees face can help tailor protective measures more effectively.
As we delve deeper into this, we need to acknowledge that online harassment can also lead to mental and emotional distress, impacting an individual’s performance and well-being. Cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting information; it’s also about safeguarding people.
By integrating DEIB principles into cybersecurity strategies, companies can create a comprehensive approach that addresses both the technical and human aspects of online safety.
Strategies to Protect Diverse Employees from Online Harassment
- Implement Inclusive Cybersecurity Policies
Start by ensuring your cybersecurity policies are inclusive. This means acknowledging that different groups face different risks. Regularly update these policies to reflect the evolving nature of online threats. Training sessions on recognizing and responding to harassment should be part of the cybersecurity strategy, ensuring that all employees are aware of the support systems in place.
2. Foster an Open and Safe Reporting Culture
Creating a culture where employees feel safe to report harassment is essential. Often, victims of online harassment may fear retaliation or not being taken seriously. Anonymity in reporting and assurance of swift, unbiased actions can encourage more employees to come forward. Leadership must show commitment to addressing these issues.
3. Utilize Advanced Technology
Leveraging technology to detect and prevent online harassment can be a game-changer. Tools that monitor communications for harmful content and AI-driven algorithms that identify harassment patterns can act as an early warning system. However, it’s essential to strike a balance—employees should feel protected, not surveilled.
4. Provide Support Systems
It’s not just about preventing harassment; it’s also about providing support when it does occur. Offering counseling services, mentorship programs, and creating support groups can help affected employees feel seen and heard. Knowing there is a support system in place can make a significant difference in how harassment impacts individuals.
Building a safer future with DEIB
As organizations continue to adapt to an increasingly digital landscape, understanding the DEIB meaning becomes crucial in shaping policies that protect not just company assets, but also the people who help the company thrive. By embedding DEIB principles into cybersecurity frameworks, companies can demonstrate a commitment to creating an inclusive environment that goes beyond mere compliance.
Creating a Cybersecurity Culture of Inclusion
In a world where online interactions are integral to our work life, integrating DEIB with cybersecurity isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity. By protecting our diverse workforce from online harassment, we’re not only fulfilling a moral obligation but also fostering a workplace where every individual feels valued and safe. So, let’s take the next step towards a future where diversity is celebrated, equity is prioritized, inclusion is standard, and belonging is a given.
Transdermal HRT best protects bone density in women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea, a condition that stops periods, a review of trials has found.
The meta-analysis pooled randomised clinical trials involving 692 participants and found transdermal hormone replacement therapy and teriparatide increased bone mineral density by between 2 and 13 per cent.
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea can follow anorexia or intense exercise. Bone mineral density measures bone strength and the amount of mineral in bone.
Around half of women with the condition have low bone mineral density, compared with about 1 per cent of healthy women, and their fracture risk is up to seven times higher.
The research was conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Professor Alexander Comninos, senior author of the study and consultant endocrinologist at the trust, said: “Bone density is lost very rapidly in FHA and so addressing bone health early is very important to reduce the lifelong risk of fractures.
“Our study provides much needed comparisons of all the available treatments from all available studies.
“Clearly the best treatment is to restore normal menstrual cycles and therefore oestrogen levels through various psychological, nutritional or exercise interventions – but that is not always possible.
“The foundation for bone health is good calcium and vitamin D intake (through diet and/or supplements) but we have additional treatments that are more effective.”
When FHA is diagnosed, clinicians first try to restore periods through lifestyle measures, including psychological and dietary support, but these can fail. Guidelines then recommend giving oestrogen, though the best form was unclear.
The team reviewed all prior randomised trials comparing therapies, including oral and transdermal oestrogen, and also assessed teriparatide, a prescription bone-building drug used for severe osteoporosis.
They found no significant benefit for oral contraceptive pills or oral hormone therapy.
A recent UK audit reported that about a quarter of women with anorexia-related FHA are prescribed the oral contraceptive pill for bone loss; the study suggests using transdermal therapy instead.
Comninos said: “Our goal is simple: to help women receive the right treatment sooner and to protect their bone health in the long-term.
“We hope this study provides clinicians with better evidence to choose transdermal oestrogen when prescribing oestrogen and so inform future practice guidelines.
“Right now, millions of women with FHA may not be receiving the best treatments for their bone health.”
An AI tool cut interval breast cancers by 12 per cent in a Swedish screening trial of more than 105,000 women.
The study also found 27 per cent fewer aggressive breast cancers detected at screening when AI was used.
Interval cancers are cancers found between routine screening appointments because they were missed at the original scan. They are often more dangerous and linked to higher death rates than cancers found at screening.
The MASAI trial is described as the first large randomised study to test whether AI can improve mammography screening, which uses low-dose X-rays to examine breast tissue for signs of cancer.
The AI tool, called Transpara Detection and developed by ScreenPoint Medical, supported radiologists in analysing mammography images.
Earlier results from the same trial showed that Transpara Detection increased cancers found by 29 per cent and reduced radiologist workload by 44 per cent compared with standard double-reading, where two radiologists independently review each scan.
The latest findings indicate higher accuracy with AI support. Sensitivity, the ability to detect cancer, was 6.7 percentage points higher in the AI group while specificity, the ability to rule out healthy cases, was maintained. Results were similar across age groups and breast density levels.
Women screened with AI had 16 per cent fewer invasive interval cancers and 21 per cent fewer large interval cancers than those in the standard screening group.
The system also helps doctors assess risk more precisely by subdividing suspicious findings into BI-RADS 4 categories A, B and C. BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) is a standardised scale that guides whether a patient needs closer monitoring, further tests or treatment.
Ageing anxiety may accelerate biological ageing in women, with fears about worsening health linked to faster epigenetic ageing, according to new research.
The study found that greater anxiety about growing old was associated with accelerated epigenetic ageing, as measured by the DunedinPACE clock, based on biological markers in blood samples.
Epigenetic changes are shifts in how genes are switched on or off without altering DNA itself, which can influence how the body ages and functions.
“Our research suggests that subjective experiences may be driving objective measures of ageing,” said Mariana Rodrigues, a PhD student and the first author of the study.
“Ageing-related anxiety is not merely a psychological concern, but may leave a mark on the body with real health consequences.”
Researchers analysed data from 726 women in the Midlife in the US study.
Participants were asked how much they worried about becoming less attractive with age, having more health issues and being too old to have children.
Blood samples were used to assess ageing with two epigenetic clocks: DunedinPACE, which estimates the pace of biological ageing, and GrimAge2, which estimates cumulative biological damage.
The study was conducted by researchers at NYU School of Global Public Health.
Worrying about declining health showed the strongest links with epigenetic ageing, while anxiety about attractiveness and fertility was not significantly associated with biological markers.
The authors suggest health worries are more common and persist over time, whereas concerns about appearance and reproduction may fade with age.
“Women in midlife may also be multiple in roles, including caring for their ageing parents,” Rodrigues said.
“As they see older family members grow older and become sick, they may worry about whether the same thing will happen to them.”
The authors caution that the study offers a snapshot in time and other factors may influence these biological changes.
When analyses were adjusted for health behaviours such as smoking and alcohol use, the link between ageing anxiety and epigenetic ageing decreased and was no longer significant.
“Our research identifies ageing anxiety as a measurable and modifiable psychological determinant that seems to be shaping ageing biology,” said Adolfo Cuevas, associate professor of social and behavioural sciences and the study’s senior author.
They call for more research to clarify how this anxiety influences ageing over time, to guide support for those experiencing ageing anxiety.
“Ageing is a universal experience.” Rodrigues said.
“We need to start a discourse about how we as a society, through our norms, structural factors and interpersonal relationships, address the challenges of ageing.”
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