Forms of Technology-facilitated Sexual Violence and University Women's Psychological Functioning

Technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) is an emerging social and public health issue that can significantly impact those who experience it, yet our knowledge and understanding of this issue is limited. Despite the abundance of research addressing offline sexual violence, comparatively little attention has been paid to online sexual violence. With a growing emphasis on the use of technology on campuses and university women being both avid users of technology and overrepresented as victims of sexual violence (Stermac, Del Bove, Brazeau, Bainbridge, 2006), university women are at an increased risk of experiencing TFSV. Using an online self-guided study, this research investigated the forms and characteristics of TFSV being experienced by university women and their association with womenâ s wellbeing. Results indicate that technologies are being used to victimize women in a variety of ways and these experiences are associated with feelings of depression, anxiety, stress and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.M.A