“I never told anyone until the #metoo movement”: What can we learn from sexual abuse and sexual assault disclosures made through social media?

Alaggia, Ramona; Wang, Susan

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104312

Cited by 111 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…However, the exploitation of power gaps, such as in a professional−patient relationship, is often not understood as such – especially by the person who is in the position of power. At the same time the vulnerability of the other is often misinterpreted as voluntary action (Alaggia and Wang, 2020 ). Adding to the problem, people who experience sexual misconduct often do not disclose, due to feelings of guilt, shame, fear and powerlessness (Ahrens et al ., 2010 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

#patientstoo – Professional sexual misconduct by healthcare professionals towards patients: a representative study

Clemens

Brähler

Fegert

2021

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci

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Aims Sexual border violations are a severe problem in the healthcare system. Studies using non-probability samples indicate a high prevalence of professional sexual misconduct (PSM) towards patients. However, valid prevalence rates are lacking. Methods We did a cross-sectional, observational study in Germany from February to April 2020. By different sampling steps, a probability sample of the German population above the age of 14 was generated. The final sample consisted 2503 persons (50.2% female, mean age: 49.5 years). Participants were asked about sexual contacts with and sexual harassment by healthcare professionals. Using descriptive statistics, prevalence rates of PSM were estimated. Results PSM was reported by 56 (4.5%) female and 17 (1.4%) male participants. In detail, 28 (2.2%) female and 10 (0.8%) male participants reported sexual contacts with healthcare professionals. One third of these sexual contacts took place before the age of 18 and one third against the will of the patients. 40 (3.2%) female and 8 (0.6%) male participants reported unnecessary physical examinations, 31 (2.5%) female and 7 (0.6%) male participants reported sexual harassment. The majority of perpetrators were male. Conclusions Our data provide an important first insight into the prevalence of PSM by healthcare professionals towards patients in a representative sample. Results suggest a high prevalence of PSM in the general population of Germany. Preventive measures to increase awareness of PSM and concepts for protection of patients are needed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

#patientstoo – Professional sexual misconduct by healthcare professionals towards patients: a representative study

Clemens

Brähler

Fegert

2021

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci

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“…When victims receive a negative response to their disclosure, they can experience negative health outcomes and cease to talk about their sexual assault (Ahrens et al, 2010;Campbell et al, 2001). Other barriers to disclosure include wanting to keep the incident secret, not having proof of the event, fearing retribution, anticipating negative responses from police, preferring to handle the matter privately, minimising the event, protecting the perpetrator and feeling uncertain whether the incident was a crime (Alaggia and Wang, 2020;Fisher et al, 2000;Sable et al, 2006). Survivors in the USA who were interviewed about their experiences said they were blamed for allowing themselves to be victimised, denied sympathy or compassion, refused help, or assisted by someone in an ineffective way after they disclosed their assaults to others (Ahrens, 2006).…”

Section: Sexual Assault and Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The disclosure of health information online can be an effective tool for health practitioners to promote positive health behaviours (Alaggia and Wang, 2020;Pavelko et al, 2017). The #metoo movement has highlighted how viewing disclosures online can encourage individuals to disclose themselves, including when individuals experience barriers to disclosure (Alaggia and Wang, 2020). In addition, disclosures online can help individuals make sense of and seek out more information about their situations (Alaggia and Wang, 2020;Pavelko et al, 2017).…”

Section: Sexual Assault and Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘You should tell somebody’: An evaluation of a survivor stories blog project to motivate sexual assault victims

Riggs

2021

Health Education Journal

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Objective: Sexual assault victims often do not disclose their assaults or seek positive health outcomes. The RAINN Survivor Stories project shares testimonials in the form of online blogs from sexual assault survivors to motivate and encourage others to come forward and disclose their assaults. This study aimed to better understand the themes present in the survivor stories to motivate victims to disclose their assaults and seek positive health outcomes. Design: A theoretical thematic analysis was conducted on blog posts created for the project to identify (a) how the posts tell survivor stories and (b) how the posts model positive health outcomes using social cognitive theory and the disclosure processes model as a guide. Setting: Online setting linked to the rainn.org website. Method: Blog posts were collected for inductive thematic analysis. Themes were identified based on their prevalence in the data and their pertinence to the research questions. Results: Emerging themes included (a) overcoming initial disclosure, (b) overcoming the lasting effects of victimisation, (c) utilising support and (d) advocating for others after assault. Conclusion: Findings offer insight to researchers and practitioners creating media messages for sexual assault victims and other stigmatised groups by expanding understanding of modelled positive health outcomes in media and the disclosure process of victims.

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“…The purpose of reposting (sharing on one's social media platform) the hashtag was to show the widespread prevalence of sexual violence and harassment, and to show other victims they are not alone. Victims of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) have also come forward about their experiences through using this hashtag (e.g., Alaggia & Wang, 2020). Within the first 24 hours, 4.7 million people worldwide interacted with the hashtag on Facebook (Santiago & Criss, 2017).…”

Section: #Metoomentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-affirmation and False Allegations: The Effects on Responses to Disclosures of Sexual Victimization

Roos

Jones

2020

J Interpers Violence

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The rise of the #MeToo movement highlights the prevalence of sexual victimization and gives a voice to victims who may have been silent before. Nevertheless, survivors or victims of sexual violence who come forward may be blamed or not believed. These reactions are evident both with adult and child victims. Further, fears about false accusations of sexual misconduct may negatively impact responses to disclosures. This study aimed to examine gender differences in perceptions toward the #MeToo movement, and the extent to which these translate into a skeptical response to disclosure. Further, we wanted to explore whether proximity to false allegations of sexual violence was linked with more negative responses and whether use of self-affirmations may decrease the likelihood of such a response. Through an online survey ( N = 235) on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, we assessed participants’ exposure to and perceptions of the #MeToo movement. Further, we asked them about their proximity to sexual violence (victimization or perpetration) and to false allegations. Using a threat manipulation (news article about false accusation) and a self-affirmation exercise, we studied the effects of both variables on responses to disclosure. Results indicated that after reading an article about a false accusation, male participants were more likely to blame a victim of childhood sexual abuse and to perceive the abuse as less harmful, compared with female participants. Further, we found that self-affirmation was linked with more supportive responses to a disclosure. These findings highlight the threatening nature of false accusations of sexual violence for men, and how this threat may shape the narrative regarding sexual violence. Opportunities to use self-affirmation to change this narrative to a more supportive one are discussed.

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“I never told anyone until the #metoo movement”: What can we learn from sexual abuse and sexual assault disclosures made through social media?

Cited by 111 publications

References 25 publications

#patientstoo – Professional sexual misconduct by healthcare professionals towards patients: a representative study

#patientstoo – Professional sexual misconduct by healthcare professionals towards patients: a representative study

‘You should tell somebody’: An evaluation of a survivor stories blog project to motivate sexual assault victims

Self-affirmation and False Allegations: The Effects on Responses to Disclosures of Sexual Victimization

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