Violence on the Net: How Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence is Treated in Virtual Communities

  1 DOMESTIC AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES Violence on the net: how domestic and intimate patne !iolence is teated in !it"al comm"nities#essica Le!$Reseach %: SS& '(%D) *adden+all ,-%.  2 DOMESTIC AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES A !ictim o/ domestic !iolence calls a se!ice a0enc$ /o a le0al cons"ltation and case mana0ement) She is in a DV shelte in 1"eens2 3"t he case is in 4oo5l$n and she needs ad!ocac$ in the 6in0s Co"nt$ Distict Attone$ ’ s o//ice) She has thee childen "nde ( and is a/aid to ta!el to downtown 4oo5l$n 3eca"se the a3"se wo5s at a /ood stoe nea 4oo"0h *all) +o" adolescent 3o$s ae ta5in0 t"ns loo5in0 at a pict"e o/ one o/ the 3o$s ecei!in0 a  3low7o3 /om his e890il/iend) The$ pess thei phones to0ethe and the pict"e is tansmitted /om one de!ice to anothe) The$ ta5e a pict"e o/ themsel!es holdin0 "p thei Andoids and send it2 !ia Snapchat2 to the 0il) Then the$ post it to IsAn$OneUp)com)Two $o"n0 women in thei ,-s2 in colle0e in di//eent pats o/ the U)S) ae S5$pin0 deep into the ni0ht) The$ ae scollin0 tho"0h online cele3it$ sites and commentin0 on pict"es o/ Chis 4own and Rihanna ) “… i/ I was him and I was with he I wo"ld do the same thin0 he did Ihate he shes a /i00in ;;;;;; ” <sic= The$ 0i00le) “… i/ this was happenin0 3e/oe how was the  3"ises not shown especiall$ since she ne!e 5new what clothes wee well Chis I dont 3lame $o" Sl"tss ae st"pid and pathetic) ” 1 <sic=A >'9$ea9old woman who li!es alone on a /am in Noth Da5ota2 two ho"s awa$ /om the neaest mental health se!ice po!ide2 7"st ecei!ed an email /om he theapist) She has 3een ma5in0 the /o"9ho" di!e once a wee5 /o months to attend a D4T 0o"p /o s"!i!os o/ DV) The email eminds he to wo5 on the “ DEAR MAN ”  s5ills the$ ’ d tal5ed a3o"t the wee5 3e/oe and is pomptin0 he to t$pe the contents o/ he distess toleance cad into the online wo5sheet) A ten9$ea9old 3o$ has 3een sent to the school co"nselo /o actin0 o"t in class and /o showin0 "p to school with an an0$ ed ma5 on his chee5) *e will not tal5 to the co"nselo /o /ea that he will 0et his mom in to"3le2 3"t she 0i!es him a lin5 to a we3site that e8plains what domestic !iolence is and that it ’ s not his /a"lt) *e ta5es a !it"al to" o/ a DV shelte)A %?9$ea9old E0$ptian woman who too5 pat in the potests in Tahi S@"ae2 as an e8"3eant epote2 connected with n"meo"s /eminists and sec"laists ao"nd the 0lo3e) Now shesees he own cic"mcision in a di//eent li0ht and is eachin0 o"t to he /iends o!eseas to see i/ the$ can help he lea!e E0$pt /o the U)S) with he %, $ea old siste who is a3o"t to 3e /oced into the poced"e) %   Actual quotes from comments sections on TMZ website.  3 DOMESTIC AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES ;;;  Introduction People who ae !ictims o/ intimate patne !iolence o/ten /ind themsel!es isolated2 with estictions on thei mo!ement and thei a3ilit$ to see5 and access help) The intenet has the  potential to 3e an aid /o s"ch !ictims 3"t people in the social se!ice and mental health /ields ha!e to 3in0 themsel!es to wo5 with  the technolo0$ instead o/ wo5in0 around   it) The ma7oit$ o/ online eso"ces a!aila3le to !ictims ae little moe than online pamphlets: s"00estions /o sa/et$ plans2 access to le0al in/omation and doc"ments2 and ed"cational mateials on the nat"e o/ a3"se) This is all 0ood in/omation to ha!e2 3"t thei /omats and thei tone /ail to /it in with the technolo0$: some ae onl$ a!aila3le as c"m3esome pd/s2 othes come in the /om o/ o!ewhelmin0 we3sites that ae di//ic"lt to access /om ine8pensi!e smat phone and ae /"the hindeed 3$ con/"sin0 lan0"a0e that pes"pposes a /amiliait$ with !aio"s s$stems) This2 I wo"ld a0"e2 is a es"lt o/ the c"ent aim o/ these we3sites which is to 0et people to come into the a0enc$ ’ s ph$sical location to meet with a case9wo5e o co"nselo) No do"3t2 thee ae temendo"s 3ene/its /o some people to ha!e that /ace9to9/ace contact and it ma$ 3e that this is a c"cial step in the eha3ilitation pocess <tho"0h this pape in no wa$ attempts to addess that @"estion=2 3"t /o man$ othe !ictims2 the$ ae eithe not at a sta0e whee the$ ae pepaed /o anin9peson meetin02 o it is simpl$ "n/easi3le /o them to 0o to an a0enc$ d"e to wo52 childcae2 /inancial2 tanspotation2 o sa/et$ iss"es) Reso"ces2 then2 m"st 3e made a!aila3le to meet  people whee the$ ae2 and the intenet mi0ht 3e the most pomisin0 place to stat) ;;;Thee ae tho"sands o/ pee9to9pee s"ppot 0o"ps that can 3e /o"nd online /o a !aiet$ o/ health and mental health conditions <E$sen3ach2 Powell2 En0lesa5is2 Rio2 Sten2 ,--.=) +o those who s"//e /om depession2 PTSD2 social pho3ias2 d"0 a3"se2 and an8iet$ thee ha!e 3eententati!e /oa$s into intenet9s"ppoted mental health co"nselin0 especiall$ /o po0ams that /ollow co0niti!e 3eha!ioal theap$ mod"les <Mellin02 *o"0o"et9Pincham2 ,-%%= <Sheldon2 ,-%>= <P"0h2 ,-%>=<Andesson2 ,-%-= <Da!ies2 Moiss2 Blae3oo52 ,-%.=) Un/ot"natel$2 thee has 3een nothin0 compaa3le set "p /o IPV <!an Rosmalen9Nooi7ens et al) ,-%>  )  ( Bhan3apo"2 ,-%%= <Co5e2 Pai0e2 Thompson2 Mc6eown2 4ethea2 Da!is2 ,--,= < Ramie2 Pai52 Sancha0in2 *eime2 ,-%%=) In ecent $eas2 se!eal “ online hotlines ” ha!e popped "p the two most nota3le ae the Rape A3"se Incest National Netwo5 <RAINN= hotline and the National Domestic Violence *otline2 3oth o/ which host li!e chats and then ma5e e/eals to the client ’ s nea3$ se!ice a0encies) These ae e8cellent additions to the asenal o/ in/omation to help !ictims /ee  4 DOMESTIC AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES themsel!es /om a3"si!e sit"ations 3"t 7"st the othe da$ I had an e8peience that spo5e to the  po3lem o/ ma5in0 e/eals to someone who is not ead$ eithe to meet with someone /ace to /ace o to stat ma5in0 the 5ind o/ commitments that m"st 3e made once the wheels o/ the s$stem 3e0in to otate) This indi!id"al had called the National Domestic Violence *otline <she /o"nd thei n"m3e online= 3eca"se she wanted someone to tal5 to) She had neithe the time no the eso"ces to 3e0in a le0al 3attle2 attend co"nselin02 3e a!aila3le /o meetin0s with p"3lic assistance o//ices2 o mana0e these mo!in0 pats with a case wo5e) She tal5ed /o almost , ho"s stai0ht and I let he 5now that se!ices wee a!aila3le when she is ead$2 3"t she had not called /o e/eals: she had called to tal5) This is a se!ice we sho"ld 3e a3le to po!ide to indi!id"als tho"0h !ideo o te8t chats as well) It seems that i/ incedi3le se!ices li5e “ As5 A Li3aian ” e8ist2 we can cetainl$ set "p a simila se!ice and call it “ Spea5 with a Social &o5e  ” "sin0 an almost identical model) ;;;4"t this is a di0ession) This pape is a liteat"e e!iew o/ what has 3een st"died2 and what we thin5 we 5now2 and "n/ot"natel$ a s"!e$ o/ the liteat"e on how intenet93ased inte!entions /o 0eneal mental and ph$sical health s"ppot 9 and IPV in patic"la9 e!eal /i!e ma7o 0aps in eseach and concept"aliation: %= eseach on Intenet93ased 3est pactices2 ,= eseach into how ta0et pop"lations access and "se the intenet2 >= eseach into how social netwo5s online di//e o coincide with social netwo5s o//line .= how social wo5es and othe mental health po!ides mi0ht inte0ate online eso"ces into pactice (= the impotance o/ applications o “ apps ” ) This last one2 no do"3t2 is a es"lt o/ the technolo0$ 3ein0  so  new2 and apps 0eaed towad social well9 3ein0 ae onl$ 7"st this past $ea 3ein0 consideed /o "se as possi3le inte!entions < Dept) o/ *ealth and *"man Se!ices2 ,-%.=)   Conside this pape2 then2 a call to waste no time in 0ettin0 social wo5es2 social se!ice "ses2 and po0ammes to0ethe to ma5e the apps and do the eseach) Since the a3o!e disc"ssions ae la0el$ a3sent2 the liteat"e in this e!iew instead /oc"ses attention on pee9to9pee online co"nselin0 <Anthe"nis2 Val5en3"02 Pete2 ,-%,= <E$sen3ach2 Powell2 En0lesa5is2 Rio2 Sten2 ,--.= <Da!ies2 Moiss2 Blae3oo52 ,-%.= <Tanis2 ,--= Mellin02 ,-%%= <Beshon2 ,-%%= <*alli0an2 6no82 4in5le$2 ,-%>= <!anRosmalen9Nooi7ens2Pins2 Ve0ee2 Lo +o &on02 La0o9#anssen2 ,-%>= <Sheldon2 ,-%>= <Se ç 5     n2 ,--?=2 social netwo5s <Anthe"nis2 Val5en3"02 Pete2 ,-%,= <Co5e2 Pai0e2 Thompson2 Mc6eown2 4ethea2 Da!is2 ,--,= <Do"0las2 *ines2  McCath$2 ,-%,= <E$sen3ach2 Powell2 En0lesa5is2 Rio2 Sten2 ,--.= <+oshee2 4ene/ield2 McNa"0hton Re$es2 Ennett2 +ais2 Chan02 *"sson02 S"chindan2 ,-%>=<Bhan3apo"2 ,-%%= <*alli0an2 6no82 4in5le$2 ,-%>= <6atendahl2 4"0e2 +ee2 4echo2 &ood2  ! DOMESTIC AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES ,-%>= <Ramie2 Paid52 Sancha0in2 *eime2 ,-%,= <Sheldon2 ,-%>= <S"!a52 Ta/t2 Boodman2 D"tton2 ,-%>=2 and how !ictims and pepetatos o/ intimate patne !iolence act"all$ "se !aio"s /omal and in/omal eso"ces <Co5e2 Pai0e2 Thompson2 Mc6eown2 4ethea2 Da!is2 ,--,= <Do"0las2 *ines2  McCath$2 ,-%,= <+oshee2 et al) ,-%>= <Bhan3apo"2 ,-%%= <*alli0an2 6no82 4in5le$2 ,-%>= <6atendahl2 4"0e2 +ee2 4echo2 &ood2 ,-%>= <Ramie2 Paid52 Sancha0in2 *eime2 ,-%,= <S"!a52 Ta/t2 Boodman2 D"tton2 ,-%>= <T7aden2 Thoennes2 ,---= <!anRosmalen9 Nooi7ens2 Pins2 Ve0ee2 Lo +o &on02 La0o9#anssen2 ,-%>=) Online networks, social networks: definitions and terms Thee ae man$ wods s"o"ndin0 intenet "se that ha!e /amo"sl$ and in/amo"sl$ enteed the le8icon) Some o/ these tems ae 3ased in st"ct"al and codin0 /eat"es that wee ele!ant in the eal$ $eas o/ the intenet2 3"t ha!e since come to 3e intechan0ea3le andFo o"tdated in contempoa$ "sa0e) Othe tems ooted in sociolo0ical o anthopolo0ical st"d$ ma$ seem intechan0ea3le to the la$peson2 3"t ae2 in /act2 !e$ di//eent) So the /ist ode o/  3"siness is to 0et wo5in0 de/initions o/ these tems) This is not a simple tas5) Comp"te technolo0$ "nde0oes a patic"lal$ apid e!ol"tion and as new sol"tions and techni@"es eme0e the old ones ae "nsentimentall$ a3andoned e8cept /o "se 3$ a hand/"l o/ eal$ adoptes) &ith that ca!eat in mind2 let ’ s poceed) +ist a note a3o"t the capitaliation o/ the wod “ intenet: ” in this pape2 I will spell “ intenet ”  with a lowecase “ i ” ) E!en tho"0h the Ameican Ps$cholo0ical Association e@"ies capitaliation2 this insistence spea5s to some o/ the po3lems this pape identi/ies: namel$ a stod0$ dise0ad /o how the intenet is act"all$ "sed2 what it co"ld 3e "sed /o2 and 7"st how inte0al it is in people ’ s li!es <moe on that late=) The second distinction that m"st 3e made /o this pape is the di//eence 3etween chat-rooms/online chats  and we393ased disc"ssion /o"ms o2 simpl$2  forums ) In online chats2 the con!esation is happenin0 in eal time: an indi!id"al posts a comment o @"estion2 and an$one who happens to 3e paticipatin0 in the chat at the same time can espond i0ht awa$) These can 3esomewhat /ast9paced and ha!e thee/oe de!eloped a shothand that has 3led into othe comm"nication plat/oms: 332 lol2 $olo2 smh2 t3h2 om0 etc) +o"ms2 on the othe hand2 do not e8pect indi!id"al paticipants to 3e online at the same time2 tho"0h the$ can 3e) +o"ms ae o/ten modeated 3$ a well9in/omed indi!id"al: eithe a tained po/essional o someone who has a  patic"la 5nowled0e o/ a s"37ect 3ased on thei own e8peience o inteest <E$sen3ach2 Powell2 En0lesa5is2 Rio2 Sten2 ,--.= <Tanis2 ,--=) An indi!id"al paticipatin0 in a /o"m can lea!e thei postin0 /o othe paticipants to espond to at thei leis"e) These tend to in!ol!e la0e