Talking About Sexual Violence in Post-Maidan Ukraine: Analysis of the Online Campaign #IAmNotAfraidToSayIt

Abstract

In summer 2016 public attention was drawn to the important problem of gender-based violence—especially, sexual violence—when the now famous online (hashtag) campaign #ЯHeБoюcьCкaзaти (#IAmNotAfraidToSayIt) started in Ukraine, and continued in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as in the United States, Germany, and Israel. This article analyzes the conditions that led to this widespread anti-sexual violence hashtag campaign, the dynamics of its deployment, and some of the social and political consequences. The authors apply both quantitative and qualitative analysis to better understand the meanings that users attributed to #IAmNotAfraidToSayIt and their motivations for utilizing the hashtag to participate in public discussion of sexual violence. We apply quantitative analysis to systematically analyze the hashtag postings according to posters’ gender and location origin of the posts (country and city/town), and to identify the most commonly used words in #IAmNotAfraidToSayIt posts. Qualitative analysis of the data reveals divergent attitudes towards the campaign by different stakeholder groups, including representatives of the mass media, and public figures. We argue that despite some limitations the campaign was successful in providing a space for dialogue about sexual violence in Ukraine. The campaign led to concrete positive actions and effects, including anti-sexual violence protest activism, and substantive changes in sexual harassment policy and policy enforcement, in particular at Ukraine’s top universities.