Digital Prevention: Public Criminology, Social Media, and Violence Against Women

• In Event: Community and Practitioner Perceptions of Victimization and Prevention

Abstract

Public criminology looks to conduct research in dialogue with communities and to disseminate knowledge about crime and punishment (Uggen & Inderbitzen, 2010). Though it has been widely discussed and debated in research years (e.g. Currie, 2007; Loader & Sparks, 2010), public criminology has not yet paid sufficient attention to the role of social media in knowledge creation and victimization prevention. Concurrently, despite decades of research and activist work, violence against women (VAW) is a continuing social problem, and stakeholders are increasingly utilizing social media to expand and strengthen their prevention efforts. In contemplating criminology at the intersections of oppression, this paper draws from research findings from a survey and follow-up interviews with VAW activists, advocates, researchers, and policy makers about the role of social media in their work. Their experiences working in public spaces with social media to prevent sexual violence and intimate partner violence against women provide valuable insight for criminologists interested in victimization prevention as well as for academics interested in using social media to challenge oppression. In unpacking these findings, I consider the implications for academic criminologists interested in pursuing publicly engaged work and affecting social change at the intersections of oppression.

Author

• Jordan Fairbairn, Carleton University