CHICAGO (CBS) — A week after the historic presidential election, a new analysis shows a wave of sexist and abusive attacks against women online.
In some cases, such attacks have made their way into classrooms and college campuses.
One of the most prominent phrases widely used in these social media attacks was an Election Night social media post by a controversial far-right influencer from the western suburb of Berwyn.
The post from noted white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes said: “Your body, my choice. Forever,” referring to reproductive rights. It was released as part of a celebratory response to President-elect Trump’s victory last Tuesday.
Activists are now bucking the trend. In one local case, it even led to a woman being pepper-sprayed in the face.
The post on
According to a report from the bipartisan research group the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, online attacks targeting women and their reproductive rights were consistent in the run-up to the election, but mentions of the derogatory phrase exploded afterward.
“We found that there were almost 4,000% more references to misogynistic statements,” said Jiore Craig, a senior at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
Other phrases circulated on social media included: “Go back to the kitchen” and “Repeal of the 19th” – referring to the constitutional amendment that allowed women to vote.
“But I think this trend shows us that this kind of language is unprecedented in this country,” Craig said, “and I think the great thing we’re confident about based on research is that the majority of Americans are not interested in this kind of language.”
The language was enough to prompt a woman to visit Fuentes at his Berwyn home after activists posted his address online — leading to a pepper-spray confrontation on Sunday.
“If you give your child access to the internet in any way, they will be exposed to the worst of humanity,” says Titania Jordan, chief parent officer at online safety company Bark Technologies.
The phrase “Your body, my choice” has reportedly surfaced at schools and college campuses across the country, where some parents have posted about their daughters being harassed about the language.
Although CBS News Chicago has not independently verified these claims, Jordan said that given the political climate, conversations with children about these trends should be a priority for parents.
“It’s getting worse quickly, it’s escalating quickly, and so many kids are falling victim to thinking it’s just complete misinformation,” Jordan said. “We must be their source of truth. We must guide them.”
Researchers also say that the trends in which such language appears online are not going away anytime soon – especially with the rise of various social platforms that have become a source of news for young people versus traditional media.
