Like : How Users Interact with Domestic Violence Resources Through Social Media

The National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) and Love is Respect (LIR) helpline provide phone, text, and chat services to individuals seeking support and information about domestic violence (DV) and healthy relationships. In addition to these interactive services, NDVH and LIR write regular blog posts and maintain active presences across multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram. This study will use quantitative and qualitative data to 1) describe how LIR and NDVH use social media to provide information to users, 2) describe how users interact with the social media content, and 3) analyze how users interact with NDVH, LIR, and each other through different social media platforms. Preliminary results indicate that individuals use Facebook primarily to discuss posts and articles, share their own DV stories and experiences, provide support to other commenters, and to ask for help. Study results may help DV resource providers determine what content is most discussed and most widely shared among users and inform the ways in which DV resource providers interact with users via social media platforms, including responding to requests for help and maintaining the safety and privacy of commenters