Evaluating Female Experiences of Electronic Dating Violence in Jordan: Motivations, Consequences, and Coping Strategies

The Help-Seeking Behavior of Victims of Image-Based Sexual Harassment and Abuse: A Scoping Review

Image-based sexual harassment and abuse (IBSHA) has recently gained scientific attention. To date, research has primarily focused on victim characteristics and impact, while little specific empirical research exists on victims' help-seeking behavior, including barriers and facilitators to seeking support. The aim of this scoping review was to examine the current state of literature on IBSHA victims' help-seeking behavior and barriers and facilitators to seeking support. Seven electronic bibliographic databases were searched up to June 2023 to identify relevant literature. Inclusion criteria consisted of (1) English or Dutch language, (2) original empirical data, (3) studying one or more forms of IBSHA, (4) victim sample, and (5) addressing help-seeking behavior, and/or factors encouraging or discouraging help-seeking. The scoping review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols extension for scoping reviews. In total, 81 articles were included. Varying definitions of IBSHA, sample sizes, and populations complicated the drawing of general conclusions. The research was primarily conducted in English-speaking Western countries with a majority of young, White, heterosexual, and women samples. Prevalence rates of help-seeking strongly varied. Multiple sources of informal and formal support were identified, including friends, family, social media platforms, and police. Informal support appeared preferred. Articles identified several barriers to help-seeking including shame, (fear of) negative social responses and negative expectations of formal support, and facilitators, including desire for justice and takedown of non-consensually shared images. Research on IBSHA is growing rapidly. The field would benefit from further research focused on help-seeking with diverse samples, standardized measures, and intersectionality. Recommendations for policy and practice are provided.

Adolescents' Experiences of Cyber-Dating Abuse and the Pattern of Abuse Through Technology, A Scoping Review

While the proliferation of online social platforms has become a significant part of virtual interactions between intimate partners, digital technology has also created the conditions for increased control and abuse, which is known as "cyber-dating abuse," a technology-facilitated form of intimate partner violence. This paper reports a scoping review of qualitative studies to explore the patterns, nature, and consequences of cyber-dating abuse among young people and how digital technology influences dating abuse. Several databases were searched to find relevant papers, including EBSCOhost, Scopus, SocINDEX, ProQuest, Taylor and Francis Online, PubMed, and Google Scholar. All peer-reviewed papers that used qualitative and mixed methods exploring cyber-dating abuse since 2010 were scanned, and 23 papers were included in this scoping review. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. Findings showed that online platforms and digital technology have potentially exacerbated the monitoring, control, and surveillance of young women, often by young men. This scoping review also found a mixed report of gender-based victimization in relation to cyber-dating abuse; however, girls were more likely to face severe and negative consequences compared to boys. Gender-based societal norms and associated behavioral and social factors may increase the risk of cyber-dating abuse among young women. The scoping review reinforces the importance and value of preventative and early identification strategies in young people's school-based education, with a sharp focus on violence and abuse in the online space, respectful relationships, and informed consent in intimate relationships.

Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence and Abuse in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

Technology-facilitated sexual violence and abuse (TFSVA) is a pervasive phenomenon and a global problem. TFSVA refers to any form of sexual violence, exploitation, or harassment enacted through the misuse of digital technologies. This includes, but is not limited to, image-based sexual abuse, online sexual exploitation and harassment, sextortion, and the non-consensual sharing of sexual images. It has significant and long-lasting psychological, social, financial, and health impacts. TFSVA is on the rise, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), where there has been an explosion in digital technology overall. This scoping review aimed to identify studies on TFSVA in LMICs to examine its types, impacts, victim-survivor coping strategies, and help-seeking. To identify peer-reviewed literature, six databases were searched: Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, Star Plus-University of Sheffield library search, and Web of Science. The review included empirical studies published in English between 1996 and 2022, focusing on TFSVA among adults (aged 18+) in LMICs. A total of 14 peer-reviewed studies were included, highlighting that scant empirical research is available on TFSVA in LMICs. This review found several types of TFSVA and their wide-ranging impacts; traditional patriarchal societal norms and values largely shape TFSVA for women in LMICs. It also found more social impacts linked to sociocultural factors. Survivors adopted various coping mechanisms and help-seeking behaviors primarily through informal family support. Studies highlighted the need for effective legislation; pro-victim-survivor policing; strong family support; increasing victim-survivors' knowledge about reporting; and more research.

Exploring Jordanian women's resistance strategies to domestic violence: A scoping review

Despite there being an abundant gender and social science research on domestic violence (DV) in Jordan, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is limited understanding and knowledge of women's resistance strategies to DV. To fill this gap, this study conducted a scoping review to synthesize and analyze 11 articles published in English-language scholarly journals between 2001 and 2021 by following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The databases of the University of Jordan Library, Dar Almandumah, PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus were searched in December 2021. Our review found no scientific articles that primarily discussed Jordanian women's resistance to DV and explicate it as a secondary aim within the context of screening for the causes, consequences, and prevalence of DV. Therefore, while a few articles implicitly conceptualized women's resistance in the context of the patriarchal structure-either as tactics of physical, social, economic survival, and to protect their family and honor, or as consequences of DV-no article provided an explicit definition of this concept. The articles also deliberated on 12 resistance strategies that women use to deal with DV; predominant among them are daily resistance, activities hidden for immediate and de facto gains (e.g., to avoid beatings, divorce and family disintegration, the decision to keep their children, and maintaining economic stability). The most common strategies are silence and not seeking help, reporting to family members or friends, seeking legal and social advice, and reporting to the police or healthcare provider.

The role of patriarchal structure and gender stereotypes in cyber dating abuse: A qualitative examination of male perpetrators experiences

In Jordan, premarital romantic relationships are still socially unacceptable as they contradict traditional values and norms. Although previous studies have examined cyber dating abuse (CDA), few have utilized an exploratory qualitative design to clarify male abusers' perceptions of their motivations, particularly in Arabic and clan environments. Therefore, this study conducted a thematic qualitative analysis of 47 male university students aged 19-26 and asked about their experiences and beliefs regarding their engagement in CDA against female romantic partners via social media (WhatsApp, Facebook) and mobile phone. Two themes were identified: (1) contexts and motivations for male perpetration of CDA (2) consequences of CDA for the male perpetrators. The results revealed that control and direct aggression and sexual behaviors are common practices among male perpetrators; gender identity and male entitlement are related factors, enabling and normalizing male abusive behavior. Women, taught to be submissive by Jordanian society, are unable to defend themselves. Hence, CDA also predicts offline intimate partner violence-related behaviors. Moreover, the main motives for CDA from the perspective of male perpetrators are anger, jealousy, revenge, abandonment, feeling betrayed by female partners, earning money, sexual exploitation, and incitement by another woman. The results suggest that engaging in CDA behaviors can negatively impact perpetrators' physical and psychological health as well as their social and academic behaviors. These results confirm that efforts to reduce CDA that may lead to domestic violence against women must address the social pressures and context of violence, including masculinity and patriarchal domination.