A Qualitative Analysis of How Individuals Utilized the Twitter Hashtags #NotOkay and #MeToo to Comment on the Perpetration of Interpersonal Violence

The present study examined how individuals describe the nature of interpersonal violence perpetrated against them using the Twitter hashtags #NotOkay and #MeToo. Iterative qualitative coding of 437 tweets resulted in four major themes (i.e., the nature of violence and tactics utilized, the identity of the perpetrator, the location of the assault, and whether the perpetrator was held accountable). Subthemes nested beneath perpetrator identity included whether the perpetrator was known, as well as perpetrator gender identity. Subthemes nested beneath perpetrator tactic included the presence of multiple perpetrators, whether the assault was a crime of opportunity, engagement in physical aggression, utilization of psychological abuse, perpetration of sexual abuse, substance use at the time of the assault (victim and/or perpetrator), whether the abuse persisted, and whether the perpetrator used a weapon. Findings contradict stereotypes that frame interpersonal violence as a single occurrence committed by a stranger who planned an attack using a weapon

University Crime Alerts: Do They Contribute to Institutional Betrayal and Rape Myths?

Universities are mandated by the Clery Act (20 USC § 1092(f)) to publicize the occurrence of certain campus crimes. Many universities rely on “Crime Alert” emails to quickly and effectively communicate when a crime has occurred. However, communications of sexual crimes are often narrow (e.g., limited to stranger-perpetrated crimes) and misleading (e.g., containing safety tips that are not applicable to most types of sexual violence). The current paper presents the results of two studies that test the effects of reading crime alert emails on subsequent endorsement of rape myths and institutional betrayal. In Study 1, participants read a typical crime alert email describing a stranger-perpetrated crime, an alternative email describing an acquaintance-perpetrated crime, or a control email describing an event unrelated to interpersonal violence. Men were significantly more likely to endorse rape myths than were women in the control condition, but not in the typical or alternative email condition. In addition, results from Study 1 indicate that issuing crime alert emails following stranger-perpetrated sexual violence leads to a sense of institutional betrayal among students who have experienced acquaintance-perpetrated violence. In Study 2, participants read a typical crime alert email or an alternative digest email. Participants who read the typical email reported higher rape myth acceptance, but not institutional betrayal, than those who read the digest email. There were also significant gender differences in student opinions of each email that suggest the digest email format may serve as a useful tool for engaging male students in the issue of campus sexual violence. Taken together, these studies provide converging evidence that university communication regarding sexual violence can either perpetuate or positively influence attitudes towards sexual violence

Cross-sectional examination of correlates of sexual victimization disclosure via #MeToo

ABSTRACTBackground: Sexual victimization is a serious public health problem, with a range of negative impacts on mental and physical health. Responses that individuals get to disclosure of sexual victimization play an important role in recovery. With the increased use of social media, more survivors are talking about their experiences of sexual victimization online. Research is needed to document the correlates of online disclosure of sexual victimization.Objective: The current study examined the role of demographic characteristics, assault severity, coping strategies, and social isolation as putative correlates of disclosing sexual victimization online via the hashtag #MeToo.Methods: A sample of 637 adults recruited via social media who reported a history of sexual victimization since the age of 14 completed self-report surveys using online survey software to assess disclosure of sexual victimization, assault severity, coping strategies, and social isolation.Results: Multivariate analyses suggest that levels of emotion-focused coping were positively associated with the disclosure of sexual victimization online via #MeToo. Further, individuals who had experienced completed rape by verbal coercion were less likely to disclose via #MeToo, compared to individuals who experienced other forms of assault.Conclusion: Coping strategies and assault severity play an important role in determining whether survivors disclose sexual victimization online via #MeToo. Findings suggest that individuals may disclose via #MeToo to seek support or express their emotions. Further, individuals whose sexual victimization experiences do not conform to ‘typical’ sexual victimization experiences are less likely to disclose via #MeToo

Mindful self-compassion for veteran women with a history of military sexual trauma: feasibility, acceptability, potential benefits, and considerations

ABSTRACTBackground: Military sexual trauma (MST) is reported by up to 74% of women veterans in the United States and is a driver of poor behavioural and physical health. Self-compassion is a transdiagnostic, protective factor linked with improved posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and health behaviours. Thus, Mindful Self-Compassion training (MSC) may help ameliorate MST-related impacts. However, MSC can also temporarily increase distress (i.e. backdraft). Delivering it with elective trauma-informed yoga (TIY), which regulates acute distress, may help address this issue.Objective: This VA quality improvement project examined feasibility, acceptability, and reported benefits and challenges of a manualized 8-week MSC including within non-randomized subgroups: MSC (n = 4) and MSC+ elective TIY classes (MSC+; n = 4).Methods: Nine women veterans with a history of MST at a Vet Center in the Northeastern U.S.A. enrolled; eight completed, excluding one MSC+ participant. Measures included attrition (n = 9), attendance (n = 8), weekly (n = 8) and posttreatment acceptability (n = 6), validated symptom severity assessments (n = 7), and an exit interview (n = 8).Results: Among completers, MSC attendance was excellent (89%) and higher among in MSC+ vs. MSC (94% vs. 84% sessions completed). On average across the two groups, depressive and PTSD symptom severity decreased by 21% and 30%, respectively. In exit interviews, participants across groups described improved coping with distress and psychiatric symptoms, reduced stress, and improved self-care and health behaviours. Although women in both groups reported backdraft during the programme, MSC+ also reported healthier coping and improved emotional processing.Conclusion: The results of this programme evaluation infer MSC may be feasible, acceptable, and beneficial for women survivors of MST in one Vet Center in the Northeastern USA. Further, temporary elevations in MSC-related distress may be ameliorated with adjunctive TIY. Given requests of women veterans in the USA. for additional complementary and integrative health treatment options, formal research on these approaches is warranted