In recent years, hashtag activism movements (i.e., using a common message or phrase to unite user voices to address injustice; Yang & Kaun, 2016) have unfolded across social media (SM) platforms to bring attention to the prevalence and impacts of sexual assault. Specifically, the online #MeToo Movement went viral around the world in 2017, resulting in increased news coverage and public discourse surrounding this topic (Anderson & Toor, 2018). Indeed, nearly half (44%) of women in the United States experience unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime (Smith et al., 2018) and these violations are associated with increased risk for negative mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Mason & Lodrick, 2013). After experiencing interpersonal violence, reminders of the trauma (e.g., words, images) can trigger psychophysiological reactions for survivors, such as emotional dysregulation, physical symptoms (e.g., heart racing), and increases in adverse mental health symptomatology (Mchugo et al., 2001; Moser et al., 2015). Given the popularity of SM among women in the U.S. (78% report usage; Pew Research Center, 2019), survivors of sexual assault are presumably being exposed to trauma related content connected to popular hashtag activism movements while spending time online. However, little is known about how exposure to sexual assault narratives and related discourse in this context could impact the mental health and relationships of survivors.The present study aims to address this gap in the literature by using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design to better understand survivors’ online experiences during this unique cultural moment. The qualitative strand of the study utilized thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews (n = 12) to explore the lived experiences of young women survivors (18-34 years old) using SM since initiation of the #MeToo Movement. Survivors described adverse changes in their mental health during periods of intense media coverage relating to sexual assault stories (e.g., Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s Senate testimony). Some survivors also reported negative changes in their personal relationships with people in their life based on how they discussed sexual assault on these platforms. Findings from the qualitative strand were used to inform development of an online, cross-sectional quantitative survey, facilitated through CloudResearch’s MTurk toolkit. Multiple regression analyses found general SM use, exposure to sexual assault content, and exposure to unsupportive attitudes (i.e., victim blaming or perpetrator supporting) to be significantly predictive of depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptomatology among young women, both survivors (n = 312) and non-victims (n = 171). Survivors reported noticing people from their support systems (e.g., family, friends, co-workers) posting unsupportive attitudes about other victims’ stories at significantly higher rates than non-victims. Findings from the present study implore clinicians to assess SM use and level of exposure to sexual assault related content among clients, particularly those who have experienced sexual assault. Further, clinicians should stay informed about viral news stories and hashtag activism movements addressing sexual assault and provide space for clients to process this content during times of high saturation on SM platforms.
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