Virtual Violence: Cyberspace, Misogyny and Online Abuse

Abstract

As the twenty-first century continues its steady march, the Internet has become an important part of daily life for much of the globe. Many of us shop, organise our finances, conduct our working lives, meet our inti- mate partners and maintain our relationships online. Technology has become increasingly affordable: tablets, smartphones and laptops are enabling more and more people in ever-remote areas to become ‘switched on’. This has brought us to an interesting moment, where the issue of sexualised threats in online public spaces is a concern facing more and more women, yet it is drastically under-theorised. This chap- ter offers some ways to think through the issue.