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Langen H. The impact of the #MeToo movement on language at court A text-based causal inference approach. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302827. [PMID: 38748666 PMCID: PMC11095728 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
This study assesses the effect of the #MeToo movement on the language used in judicial opinions on sexual violence related cases from 51 U.S. state and federal appellate courts. The study introduces various indicators to quantify the extent to which actors in courtrooms employ language that implicitly shifts responsibility away from the perpetrator and onto the victim. One indicator measures how frequently the victim is mentioned as the grammatical subject, as research in the field of psychology suggests that victims are assigned more blame the more often they are referred to as the grammatical subject. The other two indices designed to gauge the level of victim-blaming capture the sentiment of and the context in sentences referencing the perpetrator. Additionally, judicial opinions are transformed into bag-of-words and tf-idf vectors to facilitate the examination of the evolution of language over time. The causal effect of the #MeToo movement is estimated by means of a Difference-in-Differences approach comparing the development of the language in opinions on sexual offenses and other crimes against persons as well as a Panel Event Study approach. The results do not clearly identify a #MeToo-movement-induced change in the language in court but suggest that the movement may have accelerated the evolution of court language slightly, causing the effect to materialize with a significant time lag. Additionally, the study considers potential effect heterogeneity with respect to the judge's gender and political affiliation. The study combines causal inference with text quantification methods that are commonly used for classification as well as with indicators that rely on sentiment analysis, word embedding models and grammatical tagging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrika Langen
- Department of Economics, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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2
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Worthen MGF, Schleifer C. #MeToo and Sexual Violence Reporting in the National Crime Victimization Survey. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024:8862605241234355. [PMID: 38501684 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241234355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
The Me Too Movement has reshaped cultural awareness about sexual violence but little is known about how this shift may have coincided with changes in the reporting of sexual violence. The current study is the first to use the National Crime Victimization Survey to compare pre-#MeToo and post-#MeToo reports of sexual violence across three different blocks of time (Time 1: 2014-2015; Time 2: October 2017-September 2019; Time 3: October 2019-September 2021). Comparisons include prevalence rates of overall sexual violence, self-reports of sexual violence, official police reports of sexual violence, and situational characteristics of sexual violence (offender was a stranger, victim injury, victim services used). We also examine gender (women/men) and racial (White women/non-White women) differences in sexual violence reporting. Using formal comparisons, we find a significant increase in the rates of overall sexual violence as well as self-reports and stranger-offender reports of sexual violence between the pre- (Time 1) and the first post-#MeToo time point (Time 2). However, these increases are no longer evident in Time 3. In addition, the changes between the pre- (Time 1) and the first post-#MeToo time point (Time 2) are driven primarily by White women's reporting of sexual violence, and we find no significant changes in the rates of sexual violence experienced by men nor non-White women during these time periods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cyrus Schleifer
- Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA
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3
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Laughlin E, Pettitt M, Lamarche VM, James-Hawkins L. Just One Shot? The Contextual Effects of Matched and Unmatched Intoxication on Perceptions of Consent in Ambiguous Alcohol-fueled Sexual Encounters. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:11445-11474. [PMID: 37431080 PMCID: PMC10515474 DOI: 10.1177/08862605231182378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
The current research examined how contextual factors-the quantity of alcohol consumed by each partner, and whether this quantity matched-influenced how alcohol-fueled sexual encounters were perceived with regard to consent, coercion, sexual assault, and perceived responsibility of the focal partner for the outcome of the encounter. Across four studies (Ntotal = 535), participants read vignettes in which one person described a sexual encounter they had following a night out drinking. These scenarios differed within studies as a function of quantified alcohol consumed (1 shot; 15 shots) and whether both people in the vignettes consumed the same amount of alcohol (matched; unmatched). They also differed between studies as a function of whether the couples described were mixed gender or same gender. Across all four studies, scenarios in which both people in the scenario consumed different quantities of alcohol (i.e., 15 vs. 1 shot) were seen as less consensual, more coercive, and more likely to be an assault compared to scenarios where consumption was matched, especially at lower levels of intoxication (i.e., 1 shot each vs. 15 shots each). However, focal partners were also seen as less responsible for the outcome of the interaction when levels of intoxication were unmatched compared to matched. This pattern replicated across scenarios depicting same-gender and mixed-gender couples. These findings suggest that people prioritize information regarding whether sexual partners are "matched" or "unmatched" in terms of their intoxication when evaluating whether ambiguous sexual encounters are consensual and perceived individual responsibility.
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Pankowiak A, Woessner MN, Parent S, Vertommen T, Eime R, Spaaij R, Harvey J, Parker AG. Psychological, Physical, and Sexual Violence Against Children in Australian Community Sport: Frequency, Perpetrator, and Victim Characteristics. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:4338-4365. [PMID: 35944902 DOI: 10.1177/08862605221114155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Childhood sport participation is associated with physical, social, and mental health benefits, which are more likely to be realized if the sport environment is safe. However, our understanding of children's experience of psychological, physical, and sexual violence in community sport in Australia is limited. The aims of this study were to provide preliminary evidence on the extent of experiences of violence during childhood participation in Australian community sport and to identify common perpetrators of and risk factors for violence. The Violence Towards Athletes Questionnaire (VTAQ) was administered online to a convenience sample of Australian adults (>18 years), retrospectively reporting experiences of violence during childhood community sport. Frequencies of experience of violence were calculated and Chi-square tests were conducted to determine differences between genders. In total, there were 886 respondents included in the analysis. Most survey respondents were women (63%) and about a third were men (35%). About 82% of respondents experienced violence in sport as a child. Psychological violence was most prevalent (76%), followed by physical (66%) and sexual (38%) violence. Peers perpetrated the highest rates of psychological violence (69%), and the rates of physical and psychological violence by coaches (both >50%) were also high. Age, sexual orientation, disability, and hours of weekly sport participation as a child were all associated with childhood experience of violence in sport. The rates of interpersonal violence against children in sport were high. This novel data on perpetrators of the violence and the risk factors for experiencing violence provides further context to inform safeguarding strategies in sport. A national prevalence study is recommended to advance our understanding of the childhood experiences of violence in Australian sport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Pankowiak
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Federation University, Ballarat, VIC, Australia
- International Research Network on Violence and Integrity in Sport (IRNOVIS), University of Antwerp, Belgium
- Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Mary N Woessner
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- International Research Network on Violence and Integrity in Sport (IRNOVIS), University of Antwerp, Belgium
- Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Parent
- International Research Network on Violence and Integrity in Sport (IRNOVIS), University of Antwerp, Belgium
- Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), QC, Canada
| | - Tine Vertommen
- International Research Network on Violence and Integrity in Sport (IRNOVIS), University of Antwerp, Belgium
- Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Belgium
- University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rochelle Eime
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Federation University, Ballarat, VIC, Australia
| | - Ramon Spaaij
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- International Research Network on Violence and Integrity in Sport (IRNOVIS), University of Antwerp, Belgium
- University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jack Harvey
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Federation University, Ballarat, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexandra G Parker
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Dittman CK, Sprajcer M, Turley EL. Revisiting gendered parenting of adolescents: understanding its effects on psychosocial development. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-13. [PMID: 35967502 PMCID: PMC9364298 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03536-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Today's adolescents are growing up in a unique sociocultural climate in which gender issues are highly prominent. Alongside new ways of understanding gender identity, there are persistent gender disparities in social, health and mental health outcomes despite increasingly egalitarian views and a significant public focus on sexual assault and gender-based violence. Given gender-differentiated outcomes emerge during adolescence, it is critical to revisit factors influencing adolescent gender development. It has been argued that gendered parenting, reflected in differences in parenting attitudes and behaviors directed towards boys and girls, influences gender development. While numerous studies have examined gendered parenting with children, there has been no previous synthesis of gendered parenting of adolescents. Method: The current narrative review presents an overview of research into gendered parenting of adolescents, including parental modelling, gendered environments, and specific parenting practices, and draws together the available research on how it impacts adolescents. Gendered parenting is also examined in the context of LGBTQI + and gender non-conforming adolescents. Results: There is limited research investigating the presence of gendered parenting of adolescents, and even less assessing its impact on adolescent psychosocial outcomes. The available literature suggests that there may be effects of gendered parenting on adolescents, particularly on their gender role attitudes and gender-typed behaviors. Conclusions: Future work is needed to better understand how gendered parenting of adolescents manifests in the family home. In addition, research is needed to examine the longitudinal impact of gendered parenting, particularly within non-traditional families, and across a range of sociocultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra K. Dittman
- Central Queensland University, Locked Bag 3333, 4670 Bundaberg, DC, QLD Australia
- Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD Australia
| | - Madeline Sprajcer
- Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, Norman Gardens, QLD Australia
| | - Emma L. Turley
- Central Queensland University, Locked Bag 3333, 4670 Bundaberg, DC, QLD Australia
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Mueller A, Wood-Doughty Z, Amir S, Dredze M, Lynn Nobles A. Demographic Representation and Collective Storytelling in the Me Too Twitter Hashtag Activism Movement. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACM ON HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION 2022; 5. [PMID: 35295189 DOI: 10.1145/3449181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The #MeToo movement on Twitter has drawn attention to the pervasive nature of sexual harassment and violence. While #MeToo has been praised for providing support for self-disclosures of harassment or violence and shifting societal response, it has also been criticized for exemplifying how women of color have been discounted for their historical contributions to and excluded from feminist movements. Through an analysis of over 600,000 tweets from over 256,000 unique users, we examine online #MeToo conversations across gender and racial/ethnic identities and the topics that each demographic emphasized. We found that tweets authored by white women were overrepresented in the movement compared to other demographics, aligning with criticism of unequal representation. We found that intersected identities contributed differing narratives to frame the movement, co-opted the movement to raise visibility in parallel ongoing movements, employed the same hashtags both critically and supportively, and revived and created new hashtags in response to pivotal moments. Notably, tweets authored by black women often expressed emotional support and were critical about differential treatment in the justice system and by police. In comparison, tweets authored by white women and men often highlighted sexual harassment and violence by public figures and weaved in more general political discussions. We discuss the implications of this work for digital activism research and design, including suggestions to raise visibility by those who were under-represented in this hashtag activism movement. Content warning: this article discusses issues of sexual harassment and violence.
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Adler M, Vincent-Höper S, Vaupel C, Gregersen S, Schablon A, Nienhaus A. Sexual Harassment by Patients, Clients, and Residents: Investigating Its Prevalence, Frequency and Associations with Impaired Well-Being among Social and Healthcare Workers in Germany. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18105198. [PMID: 34068346 PMCID: PMC8153261 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Social and healthcare workers are at high risk of experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace. Although sexual harassment is detrimental to people’s well-being, only a few studies have systematically investigated social and healthcare workers’ experiences of different forms of sexually harassing behaviors by patients, clients, and residents in Germany. This study aimed to address this gap by determining the prevalence rates and frequency of nonverbal, verbal, and physical sexual harassment by patients, clients, and residents against social and healthcare workers. In addition, we examined the associations of sexual harassment with workers’ well-being and described employees’ awareness of offers of organizational support for sexual harassment prevention and aftercare. Data were collected from n = 901 employees working in a total of 61 facilities, including inpatient and outpatient care, psychiatric facilities, hospitals, and facilities for persons with disabilities. While the prevalence, frequency, and predominant forms of sexual harassment differed across sectors, the results indicated that nonverbal, verbal and physical sexual harassment were highly prevalent in social and healthcare work, with both men and women being affected. Furthermore, we found that sexual harassment was positively related to impaired well-being (e.g., depressiveness and psychosomatic complaints). In terms of support offers for sexual harassment prevention and aftercare, we found that approximately one-third of social and healthcare workers were not aware of any offers at their facilities. In addition to highlighting the problem of sexual harassment by patients, clients, and residents in social and healthcare settings, this study provides recommendations for the development of interventions and suggests several avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Adler
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Public Health, German Social Accident Insurance Institution for Health and Welfare Services, 22089 Hamburg, Germany; (C.V.); (S.G.); (A.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-40-20207-3242
| | - Sylvie Vincent-Höper
- Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Claudia Vaupel
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Public Health, German Social Accident Insurance Institution for Health and Welfare Services, 22089 Hamburg, Germany; (C.V.); (S.G.); (A.N.)
| | - Sabine Gregersen
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Public Health, German Social Accident Insurance Institution for Health and Welfare Services, 22089 Hamburg, Germany; (C.V.); (S.G.); (A.N.)
| | - Anja Schablon
- Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Albert Nienhaus
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Public Health, German Social Accident Insurance Institution for Health and Welfare Services, 22089 Hamburg, Germany; (C.V.); (S.G.); (A.N.)
- Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
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Jaffe AE, Cero I, DiLillo D. The #MeToo Movement and Perceptions of Sexual Assault: College Students' Recognition of Sexual Assault Experiences Over Time. PSYCHOLOGY OF VIOLENCE 2021; 11:209-218. [PMID: 34970465 PMCID: PMC8713172 DOI: 10.1037/vio0000363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE On October 15, 2017, Alyssa Milano encouraged anyone who had been sexually harassed or assaulted to respond on Twitter with the phrase, #MeToo. Millions responded and a cultural reckoning ensued. Anecdotally, the #MeToo movement appears to have affected survivors' acceptance and acknowledgment of their own sexual assault experiences, but empirical evidence is lacking. To address this gap, the aim of this study was to examine associations between behavioral and labeled reports of sexual assault and time since the #MeToo movement began. METHODS Participants were 2,566 college students who completed a sexual assault survey over the course of three years, overlapping with the onset of the #MeToo movement. RESULTS Regarding our hypothesis that the prevalence of sexual assault - indicated by standardized behaviorally specific questions - would be relatively constant over time after controlling for demographics, a Bayesian logistic regression model yielded inconclusive results. However, among the 596 students who endorsed behaviorally specific screeners for sexual assault, a Bayesian linear regression model revealed that, after controlling for demographics and characteristics of the assault, participants were increasingly likely to label the experience a "sexual assault" with more time post #MeToo. CONCLUSIONS Overall, findings revealed no evidence for or against changes in prevalence of sexual assault, but suggested there were associations between the #MeToo movement and greater recognition of past unwanted sexual experiences as "sexual assault" over time. These findings highlight the importance of considering social context in research examining sexual assault survivors' cognitions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ian Cero
- University of Rochester Medical Center
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Cannon LM, Bailey JM, Ernst SD, Bevilacqua KG, Adams C, Sheridan-Fulton E, Madson-Olson S, Scheiman L, Munro-Kramer ML. A Retrospective Descriptive Analysis of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Records From Sexual Assault Survivors at a Large University Emergency Department From 2003 to 2017. VIOLENCE AND VICTIMS 2021; 36:66-91. [PMID: 33328342 DOI: 10.1891/vv-d-19-00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This retrospective descriptive analysis of 837 patients seeking postassault care at an academic hospital in the United States describes characteristics of sexual assault survivors from a sociocultural context, with a specific focus on describing survivors presenting for sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) exams and confirming existing literature on assault characteristics, such as disabilities and alcohol and/or drug use. Assaults resulting in SANE exams increased over time. Drug and/or alcohol use at the time of the assault was reported in 44.8% of cases and 20.8% of survivors reported having a disability. Understanding the demographic and sexual assault characteristics of survivors is fundamental to providing sensitive and responsive care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay M Cannon
- Clinical Research Coordinator, University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Joanne M Bailey
- Director of the Michigan Medicine Nurse-Midwifery Service, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Susan D Ernst
- Chief of Women's Health Clinic, University of Michigan, University Health Service, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Kristin G Bevilacqua
- University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, Population Studies Center, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Caroline Adams
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Emily Sheridan-Fulton
- Research and Evaluation Specialist, Michigan State University, Research Consortium on Gender-Based Violence, East Lansing, MI
| | | | - Lisa Scheiman
- Coordinator SANE Program, Michigan Medicine Nurse-Midwifery Service, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ann Arbor, MI
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Ayers JW, Althouse BM, Poliak A, Leas EC, Nobles AL, Dredze M, Smith D. Quantifying Public Interest in Police Reforms by Mining Internet Search Data Following George Floyd's Death. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e22574. [PMID: 33084578 PMCID: PMC7641778 DOI: 10.2196/22574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The death of George Floyd while in police custody has resurfaced serious questions about police conduct that result in the deaths of unarmed persons. OBJECTIVE Data-driven strategies that identify and prioritize the public's needs may engender a public health response to improve policing. We assessed how internet searches indicative of interest in police reform changed after Mr Floyd's death. METHODS We monitored daily Google searches (per 10 million total searches) that included the terms "police" and "reform(s)" (eg, "reform the police," "best police reforms," etc) originating from the United States between January 1, 2010, through July 5, 2020. We also monitored searches containing the term "police" with "training," "union(s)," "militarization," or "immunity" as markers of interest in the corresponding reform topics. RESULTS The 41 days following Mr Floyd's death corresponded with the greatest number of police "reform(s)" searches ever recorded, with 1,350,000 total searches nationally. Searches increased significantly in all 50 states and Washington DC. By reform topic, nationally there were 1,220,000 total searches for "police" and "union(s)"; 820,000 for "training"; 360,000 for "immunity"; and 72,000 for "militarization." In terms of searches for all policy topics by state, 33 states searched the most for "training," 16 for "union(s)," and 2 for "immunity." States typically in the southeast had fewer queries related to any police reform topic than other states. States that had a greater percentage of votes for President Donald Trump during the 2016 election searched more often for police "union(s)" while states favoring Secretary Hillary Clinton searched more for police "training." CONCLUSIONS The United States is at a historical juncture, with record interest in topics related to police reform with variability in search terms across states. Policy makers can respond to searches by considering the policies their constituencies are searching for online, notably police training and unions. Public health leaders can respond by engaging in the subject of policing and advocating for evidence-based policy reforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Ayers
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Benjamin M Althouse
- Institute for Disease Modeling, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Adam Poliak
- Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eric C Leas
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Alicia L Nobles
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Mark Dredze
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Davey Smith
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Nobles AL, Leas EC, Latkin CA, Dredze M, Strathdee SA, Ayers JW. #HIV: Alignment of HIV-Related Visual Content on Instagram with Public Health Priorities in the US. AIDS Behav 2020; 24:2045-2053. [PMID: 31916098 PMCID: PMC10712936 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-019-02765-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Instagram, with more than 1 billion monthly users, is the go-to social media platform to chronicle one's life via images, but how are people using the platform to present visual content about HIV? We analyzed public Instagram posts containing the hashtag "#HIV" (because they are self-tagged as related to HIV) between January 2017 and July 2018. We described the prevalence of co-occurring hashtags and explored thematic concepts in the images using automated image recognition and topic modeling. Twenty-eight percent of all #HIV posts included hashtags focused on awareness, followed by LGBTQ (24.5%) and living with HIV (17.9%). However, specific strategies were rarely cited, including testing (10.8%), treatment (10.3%), PrEP (6.2%) and condoms (4.1%). Image analyses revealed 44.5% of posts included infographics followed by people (21.3%) thereby humanizing HIV and stigmatized populations and promoting community mobilization. Novel content such as the handwriting image-theme (3.8%) where posters shared their HIV test results appeared. We discuss how this visual content aligns with public health priorities to reduce HIV in the US and the novel, organic messages that public health could help amplify.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia L Nobles
- The Center for Data Driven Health at Qualcomm Institute, California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eric C Leas
- The Center for Data Driven Health at Qualcomm Institute, California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Division of Health Policy, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Carl A Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark Dredze
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - John W Ayers
- The Center for Data Driven Health at Qualcomm Institute, California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Nobles AL, Leas EC, Noar S, Dredze M, Latkin CA, Strathdee SA, Ayers JW. Automated image analysis of instagram posts: Implications for risk perception and communication in public health using a case study of #HIV. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231155. [PMID: 32365124 PMCID: PMC7197791 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
People’s perceptions about health risks, including their risk of acquiring HIV, are impacted in part by who they see portrayed as at risk in the media. Viewers in these cases are asking themselves “do those portrayed as at risk look like me?” An accurate perception of risk is critical for high-risk populations, who already suffer from a range of health disparities. Yet, to date no study has evaluated the demographic representation of health-related content from social media. The objective of this case study was to apply automated image recognition software to examine the demographic profile of faces in Instagram posts containing the hashtag #HIV (obtained from January 2017 through July 2018) and compare this to the demographic breakdown of those most at risk of a new HIV diagnosis (estimates of incidence of new HIV diagnoses from the 2017 US Centers for Disease Control HIV Surveillance Report). We discovered 26,766 Instagram posts containing #HIV authored in American English with 10,036 (37.5%) containing a detectable human face with a total of 18,227 faces (mean = 1.8, standard deviation [SD] = 1.7). Faces skewed older (47% vs. 11% were 35–39 years old), more female (41% vs. 19%), more white (43% vs. 26%), less black (31% vs 44%), and less Hispanic (13% vs 25%) on Instagram than for new HIV diagnoses. The results were similarly skewed among the subset of #HIV posts mentioning pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This disparity might lead Instagram users to potentially misjudge their own HIV risk and delay prophylactic behaviors. Social media managers and organic advocates should be encouraged to share images that better reflect at-risk populations so as not to further marginalize these populations and to reduce disparity in risk perception. Replication of our methods for additional diseases, such as cancer, is warranted to discover and address other misrepresentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia L. Nobles
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Eric C. Leas
- Division of Health Policy, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Seth Noar
- School of Media and Journalism, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Mark Dredze
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Carl A. Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Steffanie A. Strathdee
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - John W. Ayers
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Niazi F, Inam A, Akhtar Z. Accuracy of consensual stereotypes in moral foundations: A gender analysis. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229926. [PMID: 32135546 PMCID: PMC7058411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study explored the accuracy of consensual moral stereotypes that women and men hold about each other, as well as whether the gender differences in morality found in previous literature replicate on a sample of Pakistani individuals. A sample of 300 was used with an equal number of men and women. Data from 50 of the respondents was collected online, whereas the rest was collected in person from universities. The 30-item Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ30) was used as a measure of five Moral Foundations, which are the basic elements of moral psychology as posited by Moral Foundations Theory. Men and women answered the questionnaire for themselves and then a second time, according to their perception of how a typical member of the other gender would respond which gave a measure of their stereotype. Comparison of actual scores of men and women revealed a statistically significant difference where women scored higher than men on the Harm foundation (p = 0.001). All other foundations, except for the Authority foundation showed the same pattern of differences as the previous literature, although they did not reach statistical significance. Stereotypes about men held by women were inaccurate underestimations on the Harm and Fairness foundations. The stereotype about women, held by men, was accurate on the Fairness foundation and inaccurate on the Authority foundation in the direction of underestimation. This research serves to further the study of Moral Foundations Theory as well as exploring the reasons behind the inaccurate moral stereotypes that men and women hold about each other, and actual gender differences in morality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhan Niazi
- Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Inam
- Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Zubaa Akhtar
- Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Ko M, Dorri A. Primary Care Clinician and Clinic Director Experiences of Professional Bias, Harassment, and Discrimination in an Underserved Agricultural Region of California. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e1913535. [PMID: 31642925 PMCID: PMC6820031 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.13535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Many rural and agricultural communities experience hardship from a shortage of clinicians. The aging of the clinician population threatens future supply in these areas. Developing policies to build a sustainable workforce requires the understanding of experiences from those currently in medical practice. Previous research about rural clinicians has primarily sampled non-Latinx white men, and to a lesser extent, non-Latinx white women; to date, no study has examined differences by race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity. OBJECTIVE To describe the professional experiences of a diverse group of primary care clinicians and clinic directors in an underserved rural and agricultural region of California. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this qualitative study, semistructured in-depth qualitative interviews were performed with clinicians and clinic directors from December 1, 2017, to December 31, 2018, with a present or recent medical practice in the central San Joaquin Valley region of California. Participants (N = 26) consisted of physicians, nurse practitioners, and clinic directors practicing in primary care settings. Settings included solo and group private practice, academic training programs, community health centers, and rural health clinics. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Personal experiences as primary care clinicians and clinic directors, and perceived associations with gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. RESULTS Of 26 primary care clinicians and clinic directors interviewed, 16 (62%) identified as female, 12 (46%) identified as non-Latinx white, and 3 (12%) identified as a member of a sexual and gender minority group. Participants who self-identified as female, nonwhite, and of certain sexual orientation and gender identity minority groups described burnout from bias, harassment, and hostility in their professional relationships with colleagues and health care staff. These experiences intensified their feelings of community isolation and professional isolation. Harassment and institutional discrimination were factors in the decision of participants to change practices or exit the region entirely. Discriminatory acts against members of sexual and gender minority groups were the most severe, including threats to licensure and denial of hospital admitting privileges. In contrast to the minority group participants, the remaining participants expressed little to no awareness of these negative experiences, or the association between these experiences and retention. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Professional harassment and discrimination may hamper efforts to improve clinician and clinic director recruitment and retention in underserved rural and agricultural areas and may pose barriers to addressing health disparities within those communities. Additional investigation appears to be needed to assess the extent to which professional harassment and discrimination affect clinicians and clinic directors in similar communities across the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Ko
- Division of Health Policy and Management, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis
| | - Armin Dorri
- Division of Health Policy and Management, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis
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Modrek S, Chakalov B. The #MeToo Movement in the United States: Text Analysis of Early Twitter Conversations. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e13837. [PMID: 31482849 PMCID: PMC6751092 DOI: 10.2196/13837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The #MeToo movement sparked an international debate on the sexual harassment, abuse, and assault and has taken many directions since its inception in October of 2017. Much of the early conversation took place on public social media sites such as Twitter, where the hashtag movement began. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to document, characterize, and quantify early public discourse and conversation of the #MeToo movement from Twitter data in the United States. We focus on posts with public first-person revelations of sexual assault/abuse and early life experiences of such events. METHODS We purchased full tweets and associated metadata from the Twitter Premium application programming interface between October 14 and 21, 2017 (ie, the first week of the movement). We examined the content of novel English language tweets with the phrase "MeToo" from within the United States (N=11,935). We used machine learning methods, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, and support vector machine models to summarize and classify the content of individual tweets with revelations of sexual assault and abuse and early life experiences of sexual assault and abuse. RESULTS We found that the most predictive words created a vivid archetype of the revelations of sexual assault and abuse. We then estimated that in the first week of the movement, 11% of novel English language tweets with the words "MeToo" revealed details about the poster's experience of sexual assault or abuse and 5.8% revealed early life experiences of such events. We examined the demographic composition of posters of sexual assault and abuse and found that white women aged 25-50 years were overrepresented in terms of their representation on Twitter. Furthermore, we found that the mass sharing of personal experiences of sexual assault and abuse had a large reach, where 6 to 34 million Twitter users may have seen such first-person revelations from someone they followed in the first week of the movement. CONCLUSIONS These data illustrate that revelations shared went beyond acknowledgement of having experienced sexual harassment and often included vivid and traumatic descriptions of early life experiences of assault and abuse. These findings and methods underscore the value of content analysis, supported by novel machine learning methods, to improve our understanding of how widespread the revelations were, which likely amplified the spread and saliency of the #MeToo movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Modrek
- Health Equity Institute, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Economics Department, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Bozhidar Chakalov
- Economics Department, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Muldoon K, Smith G, Talarico R, Heimerl M, McLean C, Sampsel K, Manuel D. A 15-Year Population-Based Investigation of Sexual Assault Cases Across the Province of Ontario, Canada, 2002-2016. Am J Public Health 2019; 109:1280-1287. [PMID: 31318596 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2019.305179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Objectives. To estimate the population-level frequencies and standardized rates of sexual assault cases in the province of Ontario, Canada.Methods. We conducted a 15-year retrospective analysis (2002-2016) of sexual assault cases by linking 5 provincial administrative health databases. We defined sexual assault by an algorithm of 23 International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, and physician billing codes. We calculated age- and sex-stratified standardized rates per 100 000 census population, and we used age- and sex-stratified Poisson regressions to determine annual rate ratios.Results. Between 2002 and 2016, there were 52 780 incident cases of sexual assault in Ontario at a rate of 27.38 per 100 000 population. The highest rates were found among females aged 15 to 19 years (187 per 100 000) and 20 to 24 years (127 per 100 000). Among males, the highest rates were observed among children aged 0 to 4 years (41 per 100 000) and 5 to 9 years (29 per 10 000). Among males and females, the annual rate ratio increased among those aged 15 years and older and decreased among those aged 14 years and younger.Conclusions. Sexual assault was documented across all age groups and sexes, from children to elders, with high standardized rates among adolescents and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Muldoon
- Katherine Muldoon, Glenys Smith, Robert Talarico, and Douglas Manuel are with ICES and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kari Sampsel and Cheynne McLean are with Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Melissa Heimerl is with Ottawa Victim Services and the Victimology Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa
| | - Glenys Smith
- Katherine Muldoon, Glenys Smith, Robert Talarico, and Douglas Manuel are with ICES and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kari Sampsel and Cheynne McLean are with Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Melissa Heimerl is with Ottawa Victim Services and the Victimology Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa
| | - Robert Talarico
- Katherine Muldoon, Glenys Smith, Robert Talarico, and Douglas Manuel are with ICES and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kari Sampsel and Cheynne McLean are with Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Melissa Heimerl is with Ottawa Victim Services and the Victimology Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa
| | - Melissa Heimerl
- Katherine Muldoon, Glenys Smith, Robert Talarico, and Douglas Manuel are with ICES and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kari Sampsel and Cheynne McLean are with Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Melissa Heimerl is with Ottawa Victim Services and the Victimology Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa
| | - Cheynne McLean
- Katherine Muldoon, Glenys Smith, Robert Talarico, and Douglas Manuel are with ICES and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kari Sampsel and Cheynne McLean are with Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Melissa Heimerl is with Ottawa Victim Services and the Victimology Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa
| | - Kari Sampsel
- Katherine Muldoon, Glenys Smith, Robert Talarico, and Douglas Manuel are with ICES and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kari Sampsel and Cheynne McLean are with Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Melissa Heimerl is with Ottawa Victim Services and the Victimology Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa
| | - Douglas Manuel
- Katherine Muldoon, Glenys Smith, Robert Talarico, and Douglas Manuel are with ICES and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kari Sampsel and Cheynne McLean are with Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Melissa Heimerl is with Ottawa Victim Services and the Victimology Program at Algonquin College, Ottawa
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