Paper short abstract:

Online misogyny seeks to silence women and reinforce patriarchal norms. Witnessing this affects me, shaping my reflexive process and methodological choices. I call for institutional practices to transform the emotional toll of encountering violence, with media anthropology offering new perspectives.

Paper long abstract:

In my research on online misogyny, I encounter various forms of violence, commonly trivialized due to its digital manifestation. Experiences range from feelings of disrespect to online sexual assaults and efforts to strategically silence women’s voices, reinforcing patriarchal norms. This undermines women’s sense of security and agency and can escalate into impacting offline life.

This pervasive hostility has shaped my research experience from the very beginning, leading to three key dilemmas: a practical one—how to manage emotional stress to continue the research and at what cost; a scientific one—how to analyze these violent experiences; and a personal one—how to navigate an environment that lacks sensitivity to these challenges (Stodulka, personal conversation, 2023).

As a woman, the research encounters deeply affect me - I can relate to participants' violent experiences and understand that their stories impact my own sense of safety and well-being. Consequently, my positioning - as both researcher and woman - shapes my methodological choices about what to engage with or avoid, making it a central part of my reflexive process. This dynamic represents a social fact that, for transparency, requires more attention.

I propose that institutions facilitate reflective activities for researchers facing violence, meeting an ethical obligation akin to climate activists' protest trainings (Nann, under review). Regular practices like supervisions can help express, manage, and transform emotions, shaping researchers’ lived realities of experiencing violence (White 2005). Insights from media anthropology can enrich this conversation by introducing new perspectives on violence in digital fieldwork.