For my Master of Arts thesis, I used a qualitative study to explore the intricate social media experiences of survivors of extreme and organised childhood abuse, a notably marginalized and under-researched population. Utilizing an anonymous open-text survey with 39 participants, the research sought to uncover the driving forces behind their online engagement, their narratives of sharing deeply personal stories, and their strategies for navigating safety in digital spaces.
This dissertation addresses a significant gap in existing literature. While social media's use and impact are widely analyzed, research on extreme abuse survivors' online safety is virtually nonexistent. This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of how social media affects trauma recovery and to identify potential benefits and risks individuals may encounter using digital platforms. It gathers perspectives on platform usage, reasons for interaction, and engagement preferences (e.g., anonymity, pseudonyms), plus factors influencing content sharing and feelings of safety. Key areas of investigation include online boundary creation, mental health impacts, and how survivor experiences shape their understanding of digital safety.
The complex and often overlapping nature of survivors' responses led to the identification of profound themes, including real-world consequences, the role of anonymity, strategies for preventing harm, the cultivation of community, and issues of accessibility. The findings underscore the critical importance of social media in survivors' lives, highlighting instances where challenging experiences held complex meaning as they had both positive and negative impacts for survivors. This study represents a vital step in integrating the lived experiences of trauma survivors into contemporary discussions of social media usage. It offers crucial insights for therapists, support networks, and future researchers, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of social media's role in diverse communities to support individuals on their healing journeys proactively.
