An exploratory study of Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence in online romantic interactions: Can the Internet's toxic disinhibition exacerbate sexual aggression?

An investigation of Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence (TFSV) was conducted with 340 university students. Participants rated five TFSV scenarios concerning online sexual harassment, image-based sexual exploitation, cyberstalking, gender- and sexuality-based harassment, and sexual assault and/or coercion. Each scenario depicted a perpetrator and victim conversing online. Victims' responses were randomised from a possible selection of four (i.e., no response, flirty response, respectful rejection, and aggressive rejection). Participants rated for: (1) appropriateness of the perpetrators' and victims' behaviour; (2) attribution of responsibility between the perpetrator and victim; and (3) likelihood to perpetrate TFSV. In addition, scores for participants' experiences of sexual aggression and the Internet's toxic disinhibition were recorded. Perpetrators were rated as significantly more inappropriate and responsible than victims. Participants' sexual aggression and toxic disinhibition were positive predictors of reporting a higher likelihood to perpetrate TFSV. A moderation effect showed that TFSV could be exacerbated by a combination of sexual aggression and toxic disinhibition. •Behaviours associated with ‘Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence’ is unacceptable.•Perpetrators are rated more inappropriate and responsible than victims.•A third of the responsibility for the incident is always attributed to victims.•Toxic disinhibition and sexual aggression are positive predictors.•A combination of sexual aggression and toxic disinhibition exacerbates this issue.