ABSTRACT
This chapter draws from a social constructionist understanding that emphasises the importance of rape narratives in legitimising a cultural climate in which violence against women (VAW) is normalised and endemic. It offers a critical reading of how young men are portrayed within online discussions of rape by exploring how Deric Lostutter and Philip DeFranco sought to challenge rape culture within online hacktivist and gaming-centred spaces: spaces that are often characterised as misogynistic. Lostutter is a member of the online collective Anonymous that emerged out of chan in 2003. DeFranco is a YouTube vlogger who makes comedy news and current-affairs vlogs. The chapter argues that online social media produces a discursive space in which the 'cultural scaffolding of rape' can be acknowledged and challenged. By troubling the various building blocks that support a rape culture, online media activists and agenda setters create a space in which counter-publics can emerge and undermine dominant rape scripts.
