Online harassment is a growing societal problem. Although online harassment, or cyber aggression, has begun to receive attention, little research systematically explores the common themes found in hostile messages. In this project, we focused on online harassment directed towards women of color. We applied social network methodology and text clustering (topic analysis) to messages posted on the social media platform Twitter. We examined the occurrence of aggressive, harmful Twitter messages directed towards two groups—Hispanic/Latinx women and Black women. Next, we uncovered common themes that emerged within the communications. Messages towards both groups of women contained themes of racial stereotypes. In tweets that targeted Black women, one emergent theme concerned charges of promiscuity, where messages included slurs that accused Black women of being overly sexual. In messages containing Latinx slurs, on the other hand, xenophobia was one recurring topic, with common terms related to menial labor and political comments invoking the need to “build a wall.” Both groups of women also were subjected to feminine, attractiveness insults. Findings suggest that these negative communications are not idiosyncratic in nature, but instead routinely reinforce traditional, negative, race and gender stereotypes. As a result, these hostile messages contribute to the maintenance of race and gender inequality.

在线骚扰是一个日益严重的社会问题。尽管在线骚扰或网络攻击已开始引起人们的注意，但很少有研究系统地探讨在敌对信息中发现的共同主题。在这个项目中，我们专注于针对有色女性的在线骚扰。我们对社交媒体平台Twitter上发布的消息应用了社交网络方法和文本聚类（主题分析）。我们检查了针对两类人群的攻击性有害Twitter消息的发生情况：西班牙裔/拉丁裔女性和黑人女性。接下来，我们发现了交流中出现的共同主题。给这两组妇女的信息都包含种族定型观念的主题。在针对黑人女性的推文中，一个新兴主题涉及滥交的指控，邮件中包含诽谤性言论，指责黑人女性过度性行为。另一方面，在包含拉丁语诽谤的消息中，仇外心理是一个经常发生的话题，与体力劳动和政治评论相关的通用术语援引了“筑墙”的需要。两组妇女还受到女性魅力的侮辱。研究结果表明，这些负面沟通本质上不是特质，而是常规地强化了传统的，负面的，种族和性别的刻板印象。结果，这些敌对信息助长了种族和性别不平等的维持。两组妇女还受到女性魅力的侮辱。研究结果表明，这些负面沟通本质上不是特质，而是常规地强化了传统的，负面的，种族和性别的刻板印象。结果，这些敌对信息助长了种族和性别不平等的维持。两组妇女还受到女性魅力的侮辱。研究结果表明，这些负面沟通本质上不是特质，而是常规地强化了传统的，负面的，种族和性别的刻板印象。结果，这些敌对信息助长了种族和性别不平等的维持。