Attitudes Regarding Sexual Violence in Online Settings: A Matched Comparison Sample in Social Media.

• In Event: Crime and the Consumption of Social Media

Abstract

Online social interaction has exponentially increased in the last decade. Social scientists note that social media is a way to communicate attitudes and beliefs. Of interest, is the perpetuation of attitudes regarding sexual violence in online settings. Texts from Last Night (TFLN), a web-based forum, facilitates submission of anonymous text messages as entertainment and promotes the submission of texts pertaining to risky behaviors. Recently, social networking sites have acknowledged the importance of filtering positive representations of such behaviors. Utilizing a matched sample, the present research compared variations in online user posts regarding 1) explicate explicit and implicit sexual violence, 2) nonviolent sexual content, and 3) posts with no reference to any sexual content. Qualitative methods were employed to examine variations in attitudes supporting sexual violence, user feedback, and correlative circumstances. Findings may inform social media policies and research specific to attitudes of sexual violence.

Authors

• Jessica N. Mitchell, University of South Florida

• Eugena M. Givens, Central Connecticut State University