ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we introduce the results of two studies. In study one, we compare the reactions of men and women to self-disclosure by victims of sexual violence who shared their stories on social media. The study finds that men differ from women in almost every category of support. We suggest that these gender differences partly stem from the different experiences of men, who are significantly less likely to have been victims of sexual violence. In study two, we use immersive journalism practices in the form of a 360-degree video to examine the potential of virtual reality in engaging users with the experience of sexual harassment. By interviewing participants who watched either a two-dimensional or an immersive 360-degree version of the video, we found that immersive journalism offers participants – and especially men who are less personally familiar with the phenomenon – an experience that can enhance their empathy, and especially their identification with a victim of sexual harassment, and relate to the phenomenon on a personal, emotional level. We conclude by examining the potential of these new forms of journalism – social media and immersive journalism – to engage users with the topics of sexual harassment and sexual assault, especially men and other distant audiences who have not personally experienced sexual violence.
