THE PROCESS OF DEALING WITH ONLINE SEXUAL HARASSMENT AMONG YOUNG ADULTS: AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
Main Article Content
Abstract
Research on how young adults in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) deal with online sexual harassment (OSH) remains limited, particularly studies centered on first-person accounts. This study examined how they made sense of these incidents, responded to threats, and regained a sense of safety. In-depth interview data from eight young adults aged 19–25 living in HCMC were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Five group experiential themes were identified: violations of safety boundaries; threat intensifies as personal agency narrows; the imprint of threat on psychological and bodily responses; efforts to regain and maintain agency; and lingering unease despite coping efforts. Participants’ appraisals of the seriousness of OSH were tied to their control over data, the risk of exposure, and the support available to them. The findings suggest a need to strengthen education on sexual safety and consent in digital environments and to provide nonjudgmental support tailored to each affected person’s circumstances.
Keywords
Online sexual harassment, interpretative phenomenological analysis, young adults, Ho Chi Minh City
Article Details
References
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