Publication  on the #MeToo Movement by Professor Tania Levey

#MeToo and Social Media in Institutional Sexual Abuse in the #MeToo Era (2021, Southern Illinois University Press).

In this timely and important collection, contributors in the fields of criminal justice and criminology, sociology, journalism, and communications show that #MeToo is not only a support network of victims’ voices and testimonies but also a revolutionary interrogation of policies, power imbalances, and ethical failures that resulted in decades-long cover-ups and institutions structured to ensure continued abuse.

In Chapter 10, #MeToo and Social Media, Dr. Tania G. Levey explores the ability of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to challenge and upend hetero-feminine norms and patriarchal power structures. The openness and reach of social media created tremendous opportunities for political organizing around the world. At the same time, social media platforms are rife with sexual harassment and violent threats against women.

Thus, it is important to discuss and understand what highly used companies like Twitter and Facebook are doing to protect their users from harassment and abuse. The Chapter concludes with recommendations for addressing online sexual abuse and predictions about the ability for social media platforms to effect long-lasting progressive social change.

Dr. Levey's book