‘Like going out at night without pepper spray’: responses to cyber-victimization among LGBTQIA+college students in the United States

The internet has reshaped the nature of social interactions, providing new environments for people to connect in both prosocial and, too often, antisocial ways. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, and associated (LGBTQIA+) communities are among those who studies reveal are most at risk for cyber-victimization. For young people, already the most vulnerable to being targeted, being openly LGBTQIA + serves to compound the likelihood of online harassment. This study reports on three focus groups conducted with LGBTQIA + college students at a mid-sized university in the United States northeast, who discussed their experiences with cyber-victimization. The findings indicate a lack of faith in systemic platform-based responses, and a consensus that young LGBTQIA + people are forced to take personal responsibility for their own online safety. This includes curating their online profiles and feeds, as well as (to a lesser extent) taking direct action to combat anti-LGBTQIA + abuse.