The development of ICTs (e.g., Internet, mobile phones, tablets, social media sites) are pervasive in the world. There are 2.8 billion active social media users worldwide. In particular, young adults are the highest users of ICTs. Given the pervasiveness of ICTs, it can have both positive and negative impacts on intimate and social relationships. Research findings show that ICTs can be used for support in abused intimate relationships, especially sites like Facebook which provides a connection between intimate violence victims and their friends and family. However, perpetrators also use ICTs to further exacerbate dating aggression or sexual coercion through online monitoring, harassment and stalking. To better understand the gap in the literature, the series of projects explore the use of ICTs among college students and the ways in which the use of ICTs affects college students’ experience of partner abuse, sexual coercion and their levels of rape myths acceptance.
Professor
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
University of Delaware
Assistant Professor
Division of Criminal Justice, College of Health & Human Services
California State University, Sacramento