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‘The language is disgusting and they refer to my disability’: the cyberharassment of disabled people

  • Zhraa A. Alhaboby
    ,
  • Haider M. al-Khateeb
    ,
  • James Barnes
    ,
  • Emma Short
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Abstract

Disabled people face hostility and harassment in their socio-cultural environment. The use of electronic communications creates an online context that further reshapes this discrimination. We explored the experiences of 19 disabled victims of cyberharassment. Five themes emerged from the study: disability and health consequences, family involvement, misrepresentation of self, perceived complexity, and lack of awareness and expertise. Cyberharassment incidents against disabled people were influenced by the pre-existing impairment, perceived hate-targeting, and perpetrators faking disability to get closer to victims online. Our findings highlight a growing issue requiring action and proper support.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 1138-1143 (6 pages)

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Disability and Society (Volume 31, Issue 8)

Publication milestones

  • Accepted/In press - 01/09/2016
  • Published - 05/10/2016

Publication status

Published - 05/10/2016

ISSN

0968-7599

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/624311
  • Scopus: 84990204435

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