Rape Threats on Twitter

Quoting the BBC :

"An MP (Stella Creasey MP) says she has received threats of rape after speaking out on behalf of a campaigner targeted by Twitter trolls. Stella Creasy, who represents Labour in Walthamstow, has called for the social networking site to do more to deal with abuse.

She spoke to BBC Radio 4's The World At One about the offensive material sent to her, after she publicly supported campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez."

I have been following the news coverage of the above story. There has been a lot of comment concerning the acceptability or otherwise of such behaviour in cyberspace and about what, if anything, to do about it. Some I have agreed with, some has made me want to shout "nonsense!", a few have made me think. The New Statesman posits the question "Why does it always come back to rape?"

Rape is about power, not sex. Violence is a way of one person establishing power over another. 

Threatening verbal or actual violence is about asserting dominance in a way that should be seen as totally unacceptable within our societies and regardless of the environment within which it happens.

We need to emphasise the unacceptability of the use of violence and rape to our children from the earliest age and keep repeating the message.

We need to emphasise that the anonymity afforded by the net does not excuse this sort of behaviour. 

We need to move both our law enforcement agencies and those providing forums on the 'net to take more responsibility for uncovering and prosecuting those that behave this way.

Note that I am making my comments here gender neutral. This behaviour is abhorrent regardless of the genders involved.

Last year the United Nations Secretary General launched the UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign that includes the following statement on cyberspace as a safe place for women and girls.

"Technological developments in information and communications have presented rich and varied opportunities for advancements in the empowerment and participation of women and girls. New platforms now exist from which to raise awareness and disseminate information which have enabled women access to a wealth of information, presented new modes of communication, and new means of mobilisation. The proliferation of digital technologies have enabled the development of innovative tools and programmes to prevent and end violence against women and girls and have facilitated information sharing on the topic.

Unfortunately, along with the myriad of possibilities brought about by technological developments, new risks and types of violence have also emerged. One such form of violence is cyberbullying, which occurs on the Internet and mobile phones and can be initiated in cyberspace, or be an extension of face-to-face bullying. Cyberbullying can include threats and attempts to humiliate its subject through the posting of embarrassing pictures or personal information. It can be particularly difficult to hold perpetrators to account since bullies can easily conceal their identity online.

Technology has also played a role in enabling and exacerbating violence which takes place offline. It offers possibilities to store and share personal information about ones’ movements, social life and finances which have offered increased possibilities for partners or family members to exert control in the lives of others. Furthermore, the anonymity afforded by the Internet has exposed women and girls to specific risks, including the possibility that those who they are communicating with are doing so under a false identity."

References:

http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/orangeday.shtml