Social Media's Role in Combatting Sexual Violence

Many cases involving sexual violence are not  being viewed as highly important therefore, activists are turning to social media. It is through social media where the issue can receive an adequate amount of attention (Linder et. al, 2016). Those being accused are basically just getting a slap on the wrist and no serious punishment (Linder et. al, 2016).

Case 1

Campus activists took to Twitter to raise awareness about a victim-blaming editorial written by George Will in 2014. Using the hashtag #survivorprivilege, activists described their harrowing experiences with reporting sexual violence on their campuses.

Case 2

Additionally in 2014, Emma Sulkowitz, a senior at Columbia University, pledged to carry a mattress around campus with her until the man who sexually assaulted her was removed from campus. Sulkowitz's activism resulted in the hashtag #CarryThatWeight trending on Twitter and students on other campuses setting up mattress displays as consciousness-raising events on their campuses.

The role of social media in sexual violence activism:

• cyberfeminism-highlighting issues affecting women
• Internet-Related Ethnography-using data over a certain length of time to gain info.
• a tool for consciousness-raising and calls to action
• an opportunity to connect with other activists
• a counter space to reproduce power dynamics presents in other spaces

Strategies of campus sexual violence activists:

• cyberactivism- using modern technology to bring change
• crafting messages
• shifting the framework for sexual awareness from victim to activist
• connection and collaboration with other activists

Linder, C., Myers, J. S., Riggle, C., & Lacy, M. (2016). From Margins to Mainstream: Social Media as  Campus a Tool for Sexual Violence Activism. Journal Of Diversity In Higher Education, 9(3), 231-244.