It's Just a Distance Thing: Affordances and Decisions in Online Disclosure of Sexual Violence Victimization

The Internet offers an alternative context in which personal experiences with sexual violence can be shared. It has been suggested that victims experience lower barriers to disclosing their stories in a digital environment due to an online disinhibition effect and mainly anonymity. However, little is known about the lived experiences of victims who have shared their experiences online regarding these disinhibiting affordances of the Internet. Twenty-three interviews with victims were conducted to understand the digital affordances involved in the online disclosure of sexual victimization. The results suggest that the Internet offers several opportunities (visibility management, asynchronicity, and connectivity) and constraints (lack of non-verbal communication, disclosing online is irreversible, and Internet as a source of triggers) when disclosing sexual violence victimization online. We learn that disclosures are informed by previous experiences and weighed against digital affordances. Victims use multiple platforms or multiple accounts on the same platform and manipulate anonymity and visibility through the settings of online platforms. The Internet offers a potential for informal online peer support. The results have practical implications for victims, clinicians, and support providers for guiding the disclosure process. Furthermore, a re-evaluation and nuance of the online disinhibition theory is suggested. Suggestions for future research are made.