Patriarchy and social media: Women only facebook groups as safe spaces for support seeking in Pakistan

Abstract

We explore peer support mechanisms in patriarchal contexts where a woman's movements, social relations and the seeking of support are restricted. We investigate the use of closed Facebook groups as a vital mechanism for access to anonymous peer support in Pakistan for taboo narratives like abortion, sexual harassment, rape, domestic abuse and issues relating to child-rearing and parenting. We discuss how technology is impacting these women's lives and allowing access to a safe, non-judgmental space to share their stories and collectively support other women within the same context. We analyze the posting and support seeking behaviours and the mechanisms for anonymity and privacy within a closed women only Facebook group of 15,000 members. Our study reveals the vital importance of such digital safe spaces and the mechanisms that allow them to remain judgment free and safe for support seeking in stigmatized contexts within vulnerable populations.