Abstract
In the age of the internet, online support groups have been developed to connect those with shared experiences—especially those with experiences that can be considered “taboo.” Because of the high levels of victim-blaming and stigmatization present in the U.S., due in large part to the perpetuation of rape myth narratives, the survivors of sexual assault are often reluctant to share their experiences with others. The fear of further victimization has led some sexual assault survivors to turn to online social media-based support groups for emotional support and understanding from like-minded individuals to fight against the isolation that so many survivors often face. This chapter looks at how online social groups, like those that thrive on Facebook, can provide safe (enough) spaces where survivors can access communal support despite the lurking harassment by online trolls.
TopBackground: Sexual Violence As A Taboo Subject
To best position sexual assault as a societally tabooed topic, this section begins with Goffman’s (1963) definition of stigma “as an ‘attribute that is deeply discrediting’ that reduces the bearer ‘from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one” (as cited in Link & Phelan, 2001, p. 364). Stigma is attached to an individual or a group as a way of discrediting or even dehumanizing their position within a society. This is significant because one of the most primal human motivations is a sense of belonging. If an individual or group thinks that their actions might result in stigmatization, they are then more likely to hide or deny that they had been tainted by a social taboo(s). One such group are victims/survivors of sexual assault. Due to widespread discreditation of survivors through victim-blaming narratives, survivors have a low reporting rate: only 310 out of every 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to the police, which means about two out of every three survivors chose to not officially levy charges against their attacker (Morgan & Truman, 2020). The reinforcement of social norms typically places the blame on the individual victim/survivor rather than on the social factors that perpetuate sexual violence in the U.S. When victim/survivors are met with blame by their family, friends, significant others, and/or communities they experience further traumatization that can significantly disrupt their healing process.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Second Rape: Occurs when survivors of sexual violence are faced with negative feedback by loved ones or the police after disclosure of their trauma.
Social Norms: Shared standards of acceptable behavior by groups.
Third Victimization: Refers to online harassment a survivor of sexual violence might experience either at the hands of the perpetrator online or by online trolls.
Stigma: A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
Social media: Refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.
Support Group: A gathering of people facing common issues to share what is troubling them.
Peer Support: Occurs when individuals seek and exchange resources with one another including the sharing of information, similar experiences, and emotional, social, or practical help. Can take place in a variety of settings, including physical counseling centers or online.
Sexual Assault: Refers to an act or repeated acts of non-consensual physical contact of a sexual nature with another individual that is often, but not always, achieved by force.