“Uh, unfairly targets rapists? Boo fucking hoo” : (anti-) carceral feminist discourses around sexual violence on Twitter

Abstract

ABSTRACTAs conversations around carceral responses to sexual violence intensify, this study investigates the phenomenon of carceral feminism on Twitter. In adopting a feminist abolitionist perspective, we looked at Twitter debates and elaborated a discursive continuum that not only reflects a polarization among supporters and opponents of carceral feminism but also acknowledges users’ tensions in reconciling with not being completely pro- or anti-carceral in cases of sexual violence. While unveiling transphobic, racist, and sexist language amongst carceral feminists, our results also show a lack of conversations around tangible solutions to cases of sexual violence. These conversational absences enable users at both ends of the discursive continuum and across it to focus on theoretical and hypothetical moral stances, rather than practical examples and solutions. Thus, this paper concludes with a call to action for both abolitionists and carceral feminists to engage in constructive discussions and provide stronger, practical alternative solutions to the issue of sexual violence.