The Effect of Violence Against Women Online
This podcast episode from “Alright, Now What?”, sponsored by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, discusses online attacks against women.
The episode features Sarah Sobieraj, a sociologist and the author of “Credible Threats: Attacks Against Women Online and the Future of Democracy.” She notes that women are often attacked online because someone finds their identity unacceptable. Online abuse targets women as a representative of the identity group or groups they are a part of. Online attackers regard certain kinds of women as particularly "non-compliant." Among those most vulnerable to online abuse are women with multiple marginalized identities, women in male-dominated fields, women who identify as feminist, women who are open about their sex lives, and women in politics.
Online attacks can affect women in several ways. It can result in fear and self-monitoring. Abuse affects mental health. For example, some people may experience PTSD. There are also economic consequences to online abuse. A woman may Uber rather than walk or hire a bodyguard because they feel unsafe. Online attacks can stigmatize women and harm their reputations.
It can be difficult to address online abuse. There is limited legal recourse because police privilege cases that involve physical harm. Sobieraj points out that there are a few ways that tech companies can intervene. Tech companies can filter out abuse for a period for people vulnerable to attacks, such as politicians. She also argues that online platforms should require a probationary period for creating new accounts. This would prevent accounts that are blocked and banned from simply creating new accounts to continue their abuse.
Just speaking out about issues online often when related to feminism, gender equality, sexual abuse or specific aspects of women’s rights, such as sexual and reproductive health and rights, may be a trigger for violence and abuse.
SOURCE: Canadian Women's Foundation: Alright, Now What? • LAST UPDATED: October 4, 2023
