Students Speak Out: 5 Ways to Stop Online Harassment

My gender studies class at Cal State Long Beach discussed online harassment and came up with its own guide on how we can all work together to make online spaces safer for women.

We know that most men do not harass women online.

We know that many men are willing to stand up to harassment and misogyny.

Yet men’s harassment of women is an ongoing problem that threatens women into silence in online communities. Anti-violence activist Ben Atherton-Zeman wrote on the Ms. Blog about the sexism, racism and homophobia embedded in online harassment, pointing out that “men’s online abuse results in women hesitating to write, stopping writing altogether and fearing for their physical safety.” Feminist author Soraya Chemaly, puts the issue of online harassment more bluntly: “The intent is to silence women.” Online harassment has offline consequences and should never be dismissed as a non-issue.

As students, we take this seriously. Our goal is not to restrict the Internet, but rather to promote accountability on the part of its users. Harassment creates a culture of fear. This fear can be silencing. Visibility should not equal vulnerability. In light of these issues, we have developed the following call to action:

1. Keep speaking out about online harassment. As an online user your right to free speech matters.
2. When posting online comments, critically analyze the ideas, not the person. Free speech does not include harassment.
3. Take threats seriously. If you experience or witness online harassment, report it to the proper authorities. This may include consumer relations, hosting services or law enforcement.
4. Encourage top-down policy regarding online threats and abuse. Contact media outlets, corporations and hosting sites to demand they create anti-harassment regulations.
5. Make it real. Start conversations about what harassment is and how we can interrupt it. Consciousness-raising is the first step to social change.

As students and as members of a free society, we value the robust exchange of ideas to promote the well-being of individuals and our communities. It is time that our policies keep pace with our technologies. Just as harassment in the workplace is no longer tolerated, we now demand a non-hostile online environment. Hate-free Internet policies are crucial for promoting the safety of all people who contribute to progressive cultural and political dialogue.

Contributing student authors from California State University, Long Beach, include Kelsey Brown, Marisol Solares, Bethany Acevedo, Ciera Carson, Eddy Montes, Jessica Jimenez, Jen Insley, Nia Pines, Sean Cardenas and Evelyn Hernandez.

About

Shira Tarrant is an unconventional feminist redefining gender rights. She is the author of Men and Feminism (Seal Press), When Sex Became Gender (Routledge), and editor of the provocative anthology Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power (Routledge). Her newest book, Fashion Talks: Undressing the Power of Style (SUNY Press, with Marjorie Jolles), will be published in 2012. Shira Tarrant's writing appears in Bitch Magazine, BUST, Ms. Magazine, Women’s Studies Quarterly, Huffington Post, and in various anthologies, blogs, and encyclopedias. Shira Tarrant is a popular speaker at college campuses and public venues across the country and she is quoted widely in print, radio, television, and online media. Shira Tarrant received her doctorate in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is an associate professor in the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach. Read more at http://shiratarrant.com.