What is Technology-Faciliated Sexual Violence?
It's sexual violence with a digital twist, referring to any time technology is used to carry out or enable sexual harm, whether that plays out online or eventually in person. Examples include online sexual harassment, cyberstalking, and image-based sexual exploitation (aka non-consensual porn). Technology-faciliated sexual violence can happen in two ways: active, where harassment is aimed at a specific person, and passive, where it's not targeting anyone in particular but could still affect people who come across it.
The gender gap isn't just an offline problem. Just like with "traditional" offline sexual violence, women are disproportionately the ones on the receiving end. Research also indicates that LGBTQ+ individuals face a heightened risk of technology-faciliated sexual violence victimization.
Dating Apps & Technology-Faciliated Sexual Violence
About 30% of people in the United States report using a dating app–that’s about 80 million people! Reasons for using dating apps vary, from swiping just for fun to wanting something casual to looking to start a serious relationship. But, using dating apps comes with the risk of technology-faciliated sexual violence, like sending unsolicited explicit photos, making sexually inappropriate comments through the chat function, or escalating to stalking or in-person sexual violence. Although many dating apps have developed methods to protect users from sexual violence, it unfortunately still happens at alarming rates.
Online Gaming & Technology-Faciliated Sexual Violence
A study published a few years ago details how technology-faciliated sexual violence appearance in the context of online gaming. This may come as a shock to many individuals, especially older adults, who may be used to hearing about the dangers of chatrooms, social media, and dating apps, but not necessarily video games. Some key findings from the study include:
The offense landscape is encompasses a broad range, from sexual harassment to rape to sexual communication with a child, all happening through gaming platforms.
Some things never change: Familiar patterns from sexual violence research show up here too, like alcohol use before offending and grooming within established relationships.
Playing the game: Perpetrators leverage fame and status within the gaming community to gain access to victims, skipping the usual coercive tactics entirely. This is especially dangerous when you consider parasocial relationships that may arise with popular streamers or content creators.
"Live" methods are the move for perpetrators: Voice and video calls are often preferred by perpetrators compared to texts or photos because they leave far less digital evidence behind. This way, perpetrators are harder to catch and the offenses are harder to prove.
The Future of Technology-Faciliated Sexual Violence Research
The field of technology-facilitated sexual violence research has made meaningful strides in recent years, but the honest truth is that there are significant blind spots in the literature. Those gaps can have unfortunate implications in how we understand the issue!
Digital immigrants: The vast majority of technology-facilitated sexual violence research centers young people, particularly college-aged populations. But what about older adults who did not grow up with dating apps, social media, and online gaming the way we see it today? We know middle-aged and older adults use technology socially too, but their experiences of harassment, image-based abuse, and coercive digital behaviors remain largely undocumented in the scientific literature. We simply don't know how age shapes vulnerability, response, or help-seeking when it comes to technology-facilitated sexual violence.
One size doesn't fit all: Most existing studies draw from samples that don't reflect the full range of who experiences technology-facilitated sexual violence. Racially and ethnically marginalized communities, as well as LGBTQ+ individuals, often face compounded risks, yet their specific experiences are underrepresented in this research area. Without this data, interventions and policies risk being designed for a narrow slice of individuals.
Technology moves fast. Research doesn't always. Studies grounded in the platforms, terminology, and behaviors of five years ago may miss entirely how technology-facilitated sexual violence manifests today, across new apps, encrypted messaging, AI-generated content, and evolving slang that signals harm within communities. Staying current is critical for research involving technology!
Key Takeaways for Sexual Health Professionals
Gaming isn't niche: Billions of people game, which means your clients probably game. Being familiar with gaming culture and language, and the space as a whole can help you best support a client who discloses experiencing technology-faciliated sexual violence in a gaming context.
Direct or indirect–it still has an effect: Even if your client has only been exposed to passive technology-faciliated sexual violence, it can still take a toll on them, so it's worth being prepared to recognize and address it.
Proactive education is part of the job: If you know a client is a gamer, uses dating apps, or is active on social media, that's your opening to talk about risk awareness and digital safety strategies.
Want to become an in-demand sexual health professional? Learn more about becoming certified with SHA!
Written by Jesse John, B.S.
Jesse is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Rowan University in New Jersey. Their research focuses on sexual decision-making, sexual violence, and relationship experiences. The author identifies as a Queer, neurodiverse, white, non-binary person, which informs the way they write and see the world!
