An examination of social media as a platform for cyber-violence against the LGBT+ population

abstract

The popularity of social media raises concerns related to cyber-violence and the security of marginalised individuals and groups, including the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) population. Developing worthy interventions requires exploration of the LGBT+ population’s experiences of cyber-violence in relation to gender discrimination, which was the aim of this study. A qualitative approach sourced data between 2017 and 2019 from LGBT+ Facebook groups and pages and semi-structured interviews with participants who identified themselves as among the LGBT+ population. Keywords such as LGBT+, homosexuals, and isiZulu terms such as ‘izitabane’ and ‘inkonkoni’ were used to search for content. It was found that Facebook is used as a platform by heterosexuals to make violent and hateful comments against the LBGT+ population. Comments displayed to the public (including, for example, “gays are dogs, they can never transform to being women”) reflected heteronormative behaviour. A significant finding was the infiltration of heterosexual individuals into the space created by the LGBT+ population, suggesting an increased risk of cyber-violence, and that the right to privacy and security is often compromised. Addressing cyberbullying of the LGBT+ population through education on gender diversity is recommended.

keywords:

• cyber-violence
• cyberbullying
• Facebook
• homosexual
• heterosexual
• LGBT+
• social media

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Simangele Mkhize

SIMANGELE MKHIZE is a PhD candidate in Criminology and Forensic Studies and a member of Golden Key. She holds a degree in Social Work. Her activities include being a mentor for Humanities students as well as a tutor for Criminology and Forensic Studies. She published an article titled “Police Turn Blind Eye to Homosexual Victims of Crime in Durban of South Africa”. Her research interests include victimization of vulnerable group, violence against homosexuals, and organized crime. Email: [email protected]

Reema Nunlall

REEMA NUNLALL is a lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Criminology at the University of Pretoria, where she lectures on Crime Prevention and Criminology Theory. She obtained her master’s degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the Department of Criminology and Forensic Studies, where she also acquired lecturing experience. Reema’s current research is on policy intervention on sexual harassment in higher education institutions. She has an active interest in gender-based violence and engages with community-based initiatives. Her interests include crime prevention and innovative, proactive ways to deal with crime in South Africa. Email: [email protected]

Nirmala Gopal

NIRMALA GOPAL is acting Dean and head of the School of Applied Human Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Among her foci of research are ‘hidden’ and vulnerable communities as victims of crime, social injustices and discrimination, with the aim of promoting justice and fairness for groups treated unequally in society. She has completed research on school-based violence in disadvantaged communities. Her current research study is on understanding how the biological, psychological and social domains of individuals’ lives interact to produce chronic illicit drug users or ‘addicts’. Nirmala is a National Research Foundation-rated researcher, and she has multiple publications in peer-reviewed national and international journals.She engaged in collaborative teaching with the Lulea University of Technology in Sweden between 2010 and 2015, and has presented her scientific results at many national and international conferences, both as invited speaker and conference delegate. Nirmala has 32 years of teaching experience across the basic and higher education sectors in South Africa. Between 2010 and 2018 she headed the ETDP Higher Education and Research chamber. The many committees she is a member of includes the University of KwaZulu-Natal Council. She recently edited a Special Edition of Acta Criminologica, a Southern African journal on cybercrime, and has concluded a national study titled ‘Cybercrime – Risks to South Africa’. She has a keen interest in the field of cybercrime/security, especially through a human lens. Email: [email protected]