Online Sexual Violence Research Articles

The role of cybersecurity in women’s involvement in online sexual violence and its response strategies

With the rapid development of information technology, cyberspace has become an indispensable part of people’s daily lives. However, cyberspace is not a pure land, especially with the increasingly prominent issue of online sexual violence against women. This article explores the role of cybersecurity in women’s involvement in online sexual violence and its response strategies. The article first analyzes how cyberspace has become an important platform for people’s lives and work in the background of the popularization of the Internet and social media. Still, it also brings about network security problems, especially the increasingly serious phenomenon of online sexual violence against women. These behaviors seriously violate women’s privacy and reputation rights and cause significant harm to their mental health. The article demonstrates the widespread and severe nature of online sexual violence through specific cases and statistical data. At the same time, the article also analyzed the causes of online sexual violence, including insufficient regulation of social media platforms, information overload of personalized algorithm recommendations, and the impact of user emotional intelligence on online behavior. Regarding response strategies, the article proposes various suggestions, such as improving network security regulations and protection systems, enhancing public awareness and education, and promoting social cooperation. In particular, it emphasizes the importance of formulating and improving laws and regulations against online sexual violence, strengthening cross-departmental collaboration, enhancing digital literacy programs, and promoting gender equality through school education and media publicity to raise awareness and respect for women’s rights.

Online sexual violence prevention on a female college campus in India: Evaluation of the RISE-ON program

BackgroundSexual violence represents a severe problem for young Indian women and requires effective prevention. Since face-to-face prevention programs are limited in reach, we developed the online sexual violence prevention program RISE-ON consisting of three modules, namely Gender, Sexual Violence, and Bystander Education. The study's objective is to investigate the short-term effects of the RISE-ON modules on participants’ knowledge and attitudes. MethodA total of N = 244 female college students from Delhi aged 17 to 22 were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups with two of the three modules. By design, each group functions as a treatment group for the two included modules and as a control group for the third, missing module. ResultsFrom pre- to posttest, there were significantly larger increases of participants’ knowledge on gender, sexual violence, and bystander education in the treatment than in the control group. Concerning attitudes, we found significant increases for gender awareness and bystander attitudes across all groups. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that the RISE-ON modules are effective in terms of increasing knowledge, but there were no module-specific changes of attitudes. Thus, future online prevention programs need to focus increasingly on attitudes, especially attitudes about sexual violence, and behavior change.

Is International Criminal Law Ready to Accommodate Online Harm?

Abstract New technologies have the potential to both advance accountability for international crimes and to aid in their perpetration. Most of the existing literature to date focuses on the former, such as how digital evidence can be used in international criminal law (ICL) proceedings, or in the case of the latter, has taken a mainly rights-based approach (such as how technology can infringe upon rights to privacy or freedom of expression). This article answers the understudied question of how technology can serve as the vehicle by which certain international crimes are committed or lead to new offences, and how current ICL frameworks may be able to accommodate these ‘online harms’ to ensure that the law recognizes the full scope of harms caused to victims, who currently may not be able to access redress through the international criminal justice system. It identifies three examples of online harm that have a foreseeable nexus to the perpetration of international crimes, including hate speech and disinformation, sharing footage of crimes to the internet, and online sexual violence. The article evaluates the online harms alongside similar harms that have been encompassed by core ICL crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, to assess how online harms might fit into ICL frameworks (e.g. as an aggravating factor at sentencing, a new mode of commission of an existing crime, or a new crime). It concludes that some types of online harm may be more feasible to account for than others, and identifies where the existing ICL architecture falls short, which is important for providing a basis for future research as to how to best include novel online harms under ICL. Finally, the article emphasizes that as technology will only continue to develop and serve as a vehicle for an increasing array of harms, finding ways to account for online harm and bring redress to victims should be an issue at the forefront of ICL.

Right to be Forgotten as a Legal Protection for The Victims of Electronic Sexual Violence Cases

The 2020 National Commission on Violence Against Women's Annual Records identified the rise of a new type of violence against gender in Indonesia, specifically electronic-based sexual violence (Kekerasan Seksual Berbasis Elektronik/KSBE) which is part of gender-based violence in the digital spaces or Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV). In 2020, KSBE cases increased 300% compared to the previous year. So far, the arrangements for tackling KSBE perpetrators in Indonesia have been inadequate. Existing laws do not contain procedures that are sensitive to victims and lack a human rights and gender perspective. Currently, Indonesia has adopted a new regulation related to handling sexual violence, namely Law No. 12 of 2022 on Sexual Violence Crimes. The authors analyse laws and regulations relevant to online sexual violence and its extension (involving physical action), from the perspective of human rights and women's rights. Thus, several significant regulations apart from the Sexual Violence Crimes Law are discussed, namely the Criminal Code, the Information and Transaction Law, the Anti-Pornography Law, and the Child Protection Law. We argue that protection of KSBE victims must be made the main goal of law enforcement. The loss of the victim's privacy and the dissemination of personal data violate victims’ human rights guaranteed by the state, and therefore derivative regulations regarding the UU TPKS (Sexual Violence Law) need to be issued and existing laws harmonized with it. Moreover, additional special victim rights regulations regarding electronic-based sexual violence are necessary, especially for KSBE acts that require a quick response, such as removing sexually explicit content.

REVENGE PORN IN INDONESIAN HIGHER EDUCATIONS: GENDER-BASED PERSPECTIVE

The advances in information and communication technology have many benefits for everyone in everyday life. The use of the internet to surf information by the Indonesian people is extremely high, including universities students. The convenience provided by smartphones to many groups is also inseparable from the negative impact that stalks internet users (social media) in Indonesian universities in the form of online sexual violence. Along with the massive spread of COVID-19 from 2020 to 2021, this negative impact has been transformed into the form of online gender-based sexual violence on various campuses. Revenge porn is the spreading of sexual information that is displayed in the form of pictures, photos or videos. Revenge porn is included in cases of sexual violence, where the victims are not only women but also men, can also become victims of the revenge porn act. These actions have been widely carried out to make victims famous by dropping victims psychologically and physically. This phenomenon has finally caused polemics both internally and externally on campus in responding to the challenges of the high number of online gender-based sexual violence cases. The purpose of this study is to examine the social, cultural, legal, and political aspects of the high number of revenge porn cases in universities in Indonesia.

Experiences of Online Sexual Violence: Interviews With Swedish Teenage Girls in Psychiatric Care.

Research about online sexual violence (OSV) is needed to be able to better meet the needs of girls in psychiatric care. The objectives of this study are to explore experiences of online sexual violence among young female psychiatric service users. Interviews with nine girls with psychiatric care needs were analyzed with thematic analysis. The findings are summarized in four themes which contribute to the notion that online sexual violence is only one, albeit important, part of a more complex picture of violence among young girls in psychiatric care. The girls' narratives are shaped by, as well as reproducing gender norms.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Increase the Likelihood of Sexting Coercion Through Anxious Attachment Among College-Aged Adults

Sexting coercion (SC) is an emerging manifestation of online sexual violence where perpetrators use threats and manipulation to pressure someone to engage in online sexual behavior (i.e., sexting). Extant research suggests perpetrators of SC may have greater attachment insecurity and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The current study investigated whether cumulative ACEs are indirectly related to increased SC perpetration via forms of attachment insecurity (i.e., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) among a sample of 584 college students. Path analysis results revealed that controlling for the effects of gender, age, and alcohol use/problems, ACEs were associated with increased attachment anxiety but not attachment avoidance. Additionally, attachment anxiety was associated with increased SC perpetration and fully mediated the relationship between ACEs and SC perpetration. Attachment avoidance was not related to either ACEs or SC perpetration. Results supported prior findings that indicated attachment anxiety stemming from ACEs may drive SC perpetration. Moreover, results suggest that individuals with anxious attachment styles may use technology to sexually coerce others to elicit sexual validation and attention while potentially relieving concerns over abandonment and rejection.

Evaluating an online module for sexual violence prevention in a tertiary educational setting: An exploratory study.

Sexual violence is an important public health issue affecting significant numbers of university students across Australia and internationally. In response, online modules have been widely implemented and there is an urgent need to better understand their effectiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate an online sexual violence prevention and response education module designed for and implemented in one Australian university. We used a mixed-methods approach that included pre/post module completion surveys of key measures relating to sexual consent, being a bystander, and response to disclosures as well as knowledge of resources and support services. We conducted post module completion semi-structured interviews. Results indicated potential effectiveness of the module on beliefs about sexual consent, confidence intervening when witnessing potentially harmful situations, willingness to report incidents, confidence supporting a peer who discloses an incident, and knowledge of support services. Qualitative results indicated support for the online module as an accessible, private and self-paced tool for sexual violence education. Interactive, relevant and engaging content that can be applied in real-life contexts was noted as key for effectiveness. This exploratory study suggests there may be potential for online modules to be effective, as one aspect of universities' sexual violence prevention and response strategies-particularly modules aimed at addressing primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Further rigorous research is required to strengthen best practice in the development and implementation of online modules as part of whole-of-campus strategies. SO WHAT?: Universities across Australia and internationally are grappling with sexual violence response and prevention in light of high prevalence rates among students. Online modules may be one effective tool when implemented as part of a wider strategy.

From 'Friends with Benefits' to 'Sextortion:' A Nuanced Investigation of Adolescents' Online Sexual Risk Experiences

Sexual exploration is a natural part of adolescent development; yet, unmediated internet access has enabled teens to engage in a wider variety of potentially riskier sexual interactions than previous generations, from normatively appropriate sexual interactions to sexually abusive situations. Teens have turned to online peer support platforms to disclose and seek support about these experiences. Therefore, we analyzed posts (N=45,955) made by adolescents (ages 13--17) on an online peer support platform to deeply examine their online sexual risk experiences. By applying a mixed methods approach, we 1) accurately (average of AUC = 0.90) identified posts that contained teen disclosures about online sexual risk experiences and classified the posts based on level of consent (i.e., consensual, non-consensual, sexual abuse) and relationship type (i.e., stranger, dating/friend, family) between the teen and the person in which they shared the sexual experience, 2) detected statistically significant differences in the proportions of posts based on these dimensions, and 3) further unpacked the nuance in how these online sexual risk experiences were typically characterized in the posts. Teens were significantly more likely to engage in consensual sexting with friends/dating partners; unwanted solicitations were more likely from strangers and sexual abuse was more likely when a family member was involved. We contribute to the HCI and CSCW literature around youth online sexual risk experiences by moving beyond the false dichotomy of "safe" versus "risky". Our work provides a deeper understanding of technology-mediated adolescent sexual behaviors from the perspectives of sexual well-being, risk detection, and the prevention of online sexual violence toward youth.

Pilot trial of an online sexual violence prevention program for college athletes.

Pilot trial of an online sexual violence prevention program for college athletes.

온라인 성폭력: SEM 모델을 활용한 여성의 피해경험이 성범죄두려움과 제약행동에 미치는 영향 연구

온라인 성폭력: SEM 모델을 활용한 여성의 피해경험이 성범죄두려움과 제약행동에 미치는 영향 연구

Covid-19, Harassment and Social Media: A Study of Gender-Based Violence Facilitated by Technology During the Pandemic

The transition of all individual activities in the home gives rise to two forms of violence against women, such as domestic violence and online sexual violence. Specifically, this article argues that independent quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the orientation of community sexual violence to technology-facilitated sexual abuse. Social media networks become a trajectory of changes in sexual violence that was initially physical into online sexual violence. This research uses a qualitative method with a case study approach to understanding the phenomenon of online sexual violence. The data presented here refer to the experiences of four survivors with different backgrounds and stories. The results show that technology has facilitated digital abuse, which impacts a series of dangerous behaviors experienced in social media. Women, as part of social media users, are very vulnerable to experiencing online sexual violence from personal relationships, boyfriend, friendship, and relatives. Space and time in the real world folded in such a way as to provide opportunities for the reality of virtual networks to become a realm of gender-based violence. At the same time, the neutrality of social media then turns into a means of supporting gender inequality

Patterns of abuse and effects on psychosocial functioning in Lithuanian adolescents: A latent class analysis approach

BackgroundThere is considerable evidence that child abuse and neglect has a significant impact on social relationships and mental health across the lifespan. ObjectiveWe aimed to estimate the prevalence of child abuse in Lithuanian adolescents, to identify patterns of abuse experiences using a latent class analysis approach, and to assess psychosocial functioning associated with these patterns of abuse. Participants and settingThe study was based on a sample of 1299 adolescents from the Lithuanian general population aged 12–16 (M = 14.24, SD = 1.26) years. MethodsLifetime abuse exposure measures included neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, online sexual violence, sexual abuse from adult, and sexual abuse from peers. Psychosocial functioning was measured with the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Patterns of abuse were identified by a two-step latent class analysis (LCA). ResultsAround two-thirds of adolescents (71 %) reported at least one type of abuse over their lifetime. The results of the LCA indicated that for each type of abuse two different groups of adolescents can be distinguished in terms of the severity of abuse, and four classes ‘less-severe’, ‘peer sexual’, ‘adult sexual’, and ‘severe abuse’ were identified. Psychosocial functioning varied significantly between the four classes with higher psychosocial functioning problems associated with high severity and sexual abuse. ConclusionsThe study revealed a high child abuse prevalence in Lithuania. The results show that the psychosocial functioning of adolescents is associated with severity and types of abuse experiences.

The Role of Problematic Internet Usage in the Risk of Addiction to Online Sexual Violence among Undergraduate Students in Universities in Kenya

The objective of the study was to investigate the role of problematic internet usage in the risk of addiction to online sexual violence among undergraduate students in Kenyan universities. The study utilized Behaviourist Theory and Social Learning Theory. Ex-post facto research design was used for this study. The target population for the study was 97284 comprising all the undergraduate students in four universities and the accessible population was 2nd and 3rd year students comprising of 18911. The sample size comprised of 391 undergraduate students, 16 peer counsellors and four (4) student counsellors making a total of 411 participants. Data was collected by use of a questionnaire, an in-depth interview schedule and focus group discussion. The questionnaire was administered to undergraduate students, in-depth interview schedule was used on the student counsellors and focus group discussion was conducted among peer counsellors. Each focus group discussion comprised of four participants. Purposive sampling was used to select the universities of study. Purposive and simple random sampling was used to select the respondents. One university with similar characteristics with the sampled universities was purposively selected for piloting to ensure reliability of the research instruments. The pre-test was administered to and the instruments were modified accordingly. The reliability coefficient was online sexual violence 0.770. Descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages and means were used to analyse data. Chi square was used to test the null hypotheses while t-test was used to compare the study variables. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 23.

The Development and Piloting of a Digital Checklist to Increase Access and Usage of Campus Online Sexual Violence Resources.

As colleges seek to respond to campus sexual assault, administrators are making policies, programs, and resources related to sexual violence available to students and members of the school community online. Keeping this content current and accessible can be challenging in the context of rapidly changing information and competing priorities across campuses. In response to this challenge, we developed a free, online protocol for campus leaders to quickly assess gaps in their online sexual violence resources. The "Digital Checklist" delineates action steps that campus administrators can take to determine whether information related to campus sexual assault is easily located, current, relevant, and accessible. We found that while schools made an effort to increase the availability of information online, the checklist helped identify gaps that, if remedied, would allow more students to access that information. The overall goal for the checklist is to provide schools with actionable, real-time, and trackable data regarding the utility and accessibility of online sexual violence information and resources and to complement other campus sexual assault prevention and intervention efforts.

Dating and relationship violence among 16-19 year olds in England and Wales: a cross-sectional study of victimization.

BackgroundDating and relationship violence (DRV) is under-researched in the UK, especially among Further Education (FE) students. This study examines the association between DRV victimization and socio-demographic characteristics, sexual identity and dating and relationship behaviours among 16–19 year olds FE students.MethodsCross-sectional self-report data were collected from 1751 students aged 16–19 at six FE settings in England and Wales. Factor analysis examined the structure of DRV victimization by gender. Multilevel logistic regression examined the odds ratios of DRV victimization according to socio-demographics, sexual identity and dating behaviours.ResultsDRV victimization clusters into two categories for females, and three for males. Among females, 46.1% experienced controlling behaviours and 31.6% threatening behaviours; 49.9% of males experienced controlling behaviours, 27.1% threatening behaviours and 5.8% online sexual violence. The odds of DRV victimization were 2–8 times greater for males and 2–4 times greater for females who had ever sent a sexually explicit image. No consistent association was found between DRV and age, spending money per week, educational attainment or meeting partners online.ConclusionsThe high prevalence, absence of gender differences and social patterning, suggests DRV victimization may be becoming normalized and is of significant public health importance for young people in England and Wales.

Online Sexual Violence, Child Pornography or Something Else Entirely? Police Responses to Non-Consensual Intimate Image Sharing among Youth

Due to child pornography laws, non-consensual intimate image sharing among youth is subjected to complex legal landscapes in a variety of jurisdictions such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. While a growing number of scholars have problematized the use of child pornography charges to respond to these cases, there remains little understanding regarding how the police that enforce these laws conceptualize this issue and how this influences responses to these cases. Drawing from interviews with members of sex crime–related units in police service organizations from across Canada, this article examines how police conceptions of non-consensual intimate image sharing among youth correspond with and/or diverge from legal and critical understandings of this issue. While it is widely understood that online and digitally enabled forms of sexual violence pose unique challenges for police, our research fills a gap in the literature by examining how police themselves understand and respond to these challenges.

Economies of reputation: the case of revenge porn

ABSTRACTRevenge porn involves publicly releasing pictures of a person’s sexual activity, along with the means to contact that person, to provoke widespread shaming. This paper analyzes the US-based revenge porn website MyEx.com through discourse, legal, and information network analyses. The paper explores how revenge porn is not only an instance of online sexual violence rooted in abjection but also symptomatic of a new political economy of subjectivity, where both the human-based and the automated, algorithm-based circulation of personal information are at the center of processes through which the self is seen and valued, both socially and economically, by others.

Digitizing rape culture: Online sexual violence and the power of the digital photograph

The damaging effects, for both the victims and perpetrators, of photographing sexual assault should be self-evident. However, in the cases of Rehtaeh Parsons, Jane Doe and Audrie Pott, photographs of sexual violence seem to have been taken and digitally disseminated without regard for the possible consequences. Thus, these cases pose disturbing questions about the ways that sexual violence is normalized and legitimized in western culture and the ways that new media is implicated in this process. These cases demonstrate how the ubiquity and permanence of digital photographs create new concerns for victims of sexual violence and new questions regarding the interpretive matrix of photographs. Using Judith Butler’s theory on photography, torture and framing, I argue that these cases are an example of what Butler refers to as the digitalization of evil. Through this framework, I will discuss the ways that new media exacerbates experiences of sexual violence and examine issues surrounding the interpretation of photographs of sexual violence.

Effect of Internet Environment and Gender on Online Sexual Violence

Effect of Internet Environment and Gender on Online Sexual Violence