This study highlights the implication of social media movement as a public sphere for defending sexual violence under the context of ethnic-oriented politics in which the rapist and the victim are affiliated with different ethnic groups. The study considers opposing social media movements following a speak-up abduction and rape story in Ethiopia. Adhering to a mixed research approach explanatory sequential design is employed to survey social media content producers' online engagements and review instances of opposing and competing social media posts. The social media movement turned the public voice from the spiral of silence to massive active engagement against sexual violence. Meanwhile, the anti-sexual violence social media movement was distracted by the government-led countering social media movement. The countermovement mingled the sexual violence with the country’s ethnic politics. Consequently, a social media movement started to defend women's rights distorted to supporting and opposing ethnic political forces.

Authors:
Muluken Asegidew Chekol, Northumbria University, United Kingdom

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Muluken Asegidew Chekol is a visiting research fellow at Northumbria University, UK. He is assistant Professor of Media and Communication at Debre Markos University, Ethiopia. He has worked as head of department, Director for Dilla University PR.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/muluken-asegidew-chekol-177b2961

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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