Speakers: Lana Ramjit, AEquitas
Technology-facilitated sexual violence is frequently minimized or dismissed than other forms of sexual violence. However, technology can play a significant role in sexual violence. Not only can technology be used to facilitate location tracking or stalking that may accompany physical sexual assault, behaviors such as non-consensual distribution of intimate images are increasingly prevalent; more than 1 in 7 people in the United States have experienced some form of image-based sexual abuse, with young people nearly 1.5-2x as likely to have harmful experiences of IBSA. In addition, survivors of stalking and domestic violence have also experienced online harassment that is sexually violating in nature, such as an abusive person falsely advertising sexual services with the victim’s contact information or creating dating profiles that solicit potential partners to fulfil sexual violence fantasies.
Research shows that survivors of technology-facilitated sexual violence experience severe negative health outcomes, frequently isolating themselves from public and private life or coping with self-harm. Unfortunately, fewer than 40% of survivors of technology-facilitated sexual violence have reported their experiences to the platform or law enforcement, making it even more difficult for survivors to access needed support and resources. In this session, participants will learn to recognize technology-facilitated sexual violence, understand its impacts on victims, and learn what resources are available to support survivors.