Gender-Based Violence Activism on TikTok: A Comparative Analysis of English and Arabic Activist Discourses

Third Author's Department

Journalism & Mass Communication Department

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https://doi.org/10.1177/01968599251346190

All Authors

Aliaa K. ElShabassy Isabella Fincher Shahira S. Fahmy

Document Type

Research Article

Publication Title

Journal of Communication Inquiry

Publication Date

1-1-2025

doi

10.1177/01968599251346190

Abstract

Gender-based violence (GBV) poses a significant threat to women and girls worldwide, adversely affecting their physical and mental well-being. In today's digital era, online platforms have become battlegrounds for combating abuse against women. TikTok, in particular, has emerged as a pivotal platform for raising awareness of GBV globally. Guided by Lazar's Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis framework, this study conducts a comparative analysis of GBV activist discourses in English and Arabic shared on TikTok. This study analyzes 80 TikTok videos under two trending hashtags: #stopviolenceagainstwomen and لا للعنف ضد المرأة# (No to violence against women), exploring gendered power relations and linguistic differences about GBV activism across cultural contexts. This analysis revealed two counter-discourses that challenge prevailing narratives about GBV: breaking the silence and redefining cultural norms. Through a multimodal discourse perspective, this study considers language within the context of a broader semiotic analysis of video elements, including transitions, emojis, colors, and music. Overall, the findings illuminate how gendered relations and power dynamics shape activists’ discursive strategies on social media across cultural divides.

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