Social punishment by the distribution of aggressive TikTok videos against women in a traditional society

Abstract

Purpose Online violence has been rampant in the past decade, intensifying the victims’ suffering owing to its rapid dissemination to vast audiences. This study aims to focus on online gender-based violence directed against young Bedouin women who have left their male-dominated home territory for academic studies. This study examined how the backlash against these students, intended to stop changes in traditional gender roles, is reflected in offensive TikTok videos. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on a qualitative-thematic analysis of 77 questionnaires and 30 semistructured in-depth interviews with first-year female Bedouin students aged 18–21 years. Findings The backlash was widespread, with young Bedouin men using offensive videos as “proof” that women have violated codes of honor and morality. The videos exhibited four types of gender-based violence: claims of immoral behavior, aggressive captions that take the footage out of context, allegations of immodest clothing and digital photo editing that produced fabricated results. Examining participants' reactions to the videos, this study revealed two patterns of response: passive acceptance of the situation and an active approach that included reaching out to powerful Bedouin men for solutions. Originality/value This research enriches the literature on online gender-based violence, particularly against women in traditional societies, and suggests practical steps: developing online media literacy in traditional societies, adopting a proactive approach and nurturing social self-competence in women who have been victims of online gender-based violence.

“The modesty guard” reflected in online comments in mainstream news sites

“…The second strategy dealt with addressivity of the texts; that is, it clarified to whom the writers were addressing their message (Ben-Atar et al , 2023). We found that 84% of the texts talked “about” the Bedouin women, without directly addressing them: “I pity them; what a cruel world!…”

“…Analyses of the online comments showed that the response discourse was not expected to open a discussion: rather, the writers made proclamations. Research of online comments teaches us about “bottom-up” communication – a kind of communication that has grown in popularity in communication studies in recent years (Ben-Atar et al , 2023). The commentators neither belong to a group with a common identity, nor are they community agents: they write only in their name.…”

“…This can also be expressed in social and economic punishments and the exercise of violence toward people, who behave in a way that does not meet traditional norms. One expression of resistance was presented in a previous study (Ben-Atar et al , 2023), undertaken in Israel, which demonstrated the use of the distribution of harmful and violent video-clips on TikTok against Bedouin students. One of the study’s conclusions was that while the mechanism of the resistance movement, initiated by young Bedouin men, injures the sense of security of young women who attend university, in essence, this behavior does not prevent these women and others from continuing their studies.…”

An Analysis of Feminist Criticism and Description of the Portrayal of Women in the Multi-Level and Traditional Society in the Selected Work a Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

“…Moreover, traditional societies often imposed strict codes of conduct and morality on women. These codes were deeply rooted in cultural beliefs and were aimed at maintaining social order and stability (Ella et al, 2023). Women were expected to adhere to social norms and behave in ways that were deemed "respectable" by society.…”