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The Mental Health Impact of Cyber Sexual Violence on Youth Identity

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Abstract

Cyber sexual violence (Cyber-SV) is an intentional act to control, shame, and humiliate emerging young women (EYW) and includes all forms of online gender and sexual exploitation with the potential of endangering EYW’s personal privacy and safety offline. Cyber-SV is perpetuated by both male and female who may or may not be known to EYW but who participate in recording, [re]distributing, and observing textual and graphical images/videos, with or without their consent. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative research which relied on anti-oppression and gender-transformative health promotion framework to explore mental health impacts of Cyber-SV on EYW identity. Based on our findings, schools and academic institutions are the primary spaces and places where Cyber-SV against EYW takes place. However, according to research participants, these institutions are not equipped with the knowledge and expertise to intervene, prevent, and offer support. The mental health impacts of Cyber-SY are complex and long term affecting EYW’s personal and social life. Participants recommended the need for more public education and awareness of Cyber-SV for health care professionals. There is also a need for progressive changes in criminal and privacy law that promote gender equity and prevent Cyber-SV against EYW.

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Abbreviations

Cyber-SV:

Cyber sexual violence

EYW:

Emerging young women

Cyber-R:

Cyber revenge

GTA:

Greater Toronto Area

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge their project funder, Women’s College Hospital, Women’s Xchange 15K challenge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social and Community Services, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Soheila Pashang

  2. School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Canada

    Nazilla Khanlou

  3. School of Social Work, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Jennifer Clarke

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  1. Soheila Pashang
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  2. Nazilla Khanlou
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  3. Jennifer Clarke
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Correspondence to Soheila Pashang.

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Pashang, S., Khanlou, N. & Clarke, J. The Mental Health Impact of Cyber Sexual Violence on Youth Identity. Int J Ment Health Addiction 17, 1119–1131 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-0032-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-0032-4

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