Months After #MeToo, Millions Still Searching Online For Help Against Sexual Violence

Months After #MeToo, Millions Still Searching Online For Help Against Sexual Violence MedicalResearch.com Interview with: John W. Ayers, PhD, MA Vice Chief of Innovation | Assoc. Professor Div. Infectious Disease & Global Public Health University of California San Diego MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The greatest barrier to understanding trends around sexual violence is they are largely hidden because victims are unable speak up publicly. Moreover, ongoing monitoring relies on proxies that underreport the scale of the problem such as police or medical records where only the most severe instances or a fraction of all instances of sexual violence are represented. As a result, we know very little about the scale of Americas sexual violence problem. It was this backdrop that inspired #MeToo to call on victims to publicly voice their stories thereby revealing the scale of the problem. Our goal was to, for the first time, assess how this change inspired the public to engage with sexual violence issues. By tracking private aggregate internet search query trends we can begin to understand the scale of public engagement with issues around sexual violence including the precise motivation for a search, such as reporting episodes of sexual violence or learning how to prevent sexual violence. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response: Our study reveals that even months after the beginning of #MeToo millions more than otherwise expected are seeking out help for sexual violence online. Sexual harassment and/or assault searches increased 86 percent following the #MeToo movement and have remained higher for 8 months. Not only did searches for sexual harassment and/or assault significantly increase -- searches specific to training and reporting also increased 51 percent and 30 percent, respectively, indicating that people were potentially changing their behavior in the post #MeToo era. MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? Response: Revealing this record setting and sustained engagement is a call to action for the nation. Survivors face serious health consequences including physical injury, PTSD symptoms, and emotional trauma. Yet, public investments in preventing and responding to sexual violence is disproportionately small compared with other health issues. With millions more than ever voicing their needs, our nations leaders should respond by investing in enhanced prevention training and improving resources for survivors. When victims seek out help online it is imperative they linked to evidenced based and effective resources. The same can be said for seeking out prevention resources. Investment in understanding these needs, developing responsive resources, and disseminating those resources are needed now. MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Response: MeToo is not the first movement to empower victims of sexual violence, but what is unique compared to past movements is #MeToos staying power. Eight months since the initiation of #MeToo millions more than expected are seeking out help for sexual violence online. #MeToos sustainability, and our study alerting leaders to this, could yield major wins for the nations public health. Citation: Caputi TL, Nobles AL, Ayers JW. Internet Searches for Sexual Harassment and Assault, Reporting, and Training Since the #MeToo Movement. JAMA Intern Med. Published online December 21, 2018. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.5094 The information on MedicalResearch.com is provided for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any medical or other condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health and ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In addition to all other limitations and disclaimers in this agreement, service provider and its third party providers disclaim any liability or loss in connection with the content provided on this website.