Abstract:
Online harassment is an increasing problem worldwide and is often gender-based and
targeting women and girls. Amid growing threats to women around the world, this research
contributes to understanding the phenomenon of women online harassment with a focus
on examining the consequences and coping tactics of women. The purpose of the study
is to find how do women cope with online harassment and how can online harassment
be mitigated? The researchers try to explain the incidents, repercussions of women
online harassment through in-depth interviews. Women from various backgrounds were
interviewed and three themes were identified using thematic analysis. The three themes
are acceptance, self-protection, moral support from family and friends. It is clear that
women are very reluctant to share their experiences when it comes to harassment as
they feel if they reveal the truth, they are to take a dim view of the society. Additionally,
women face a greater burden in deciding if and how to respond to online harassment.
Moreover, women expect the society to have a confidential support system. Empowering
women via shame management, resilience and emotional intelligence skills will give
more alertness to women to escape from online annoyances. The findings highlight how
women suppress their emotions when they are harassed via online platforms. Thus, this
research provides a brief review of the prevalence and coping tactics of women online
harassment.
