Activism and anger : online communities and digital resistance to domestic violence and femicide

Abstract

In this article we examine the impact of Maltese online activism against gender-based violence and domestic violence, catalyzed by the tragic case of Chantelle Chetcuti in 2020. Chantelle Chetcuti was murdered by her ex-partner on 2 February 2020. This femicide triggered an unprecedented response in Maltese online activism, becoming a pivotal moment of collective action. Driven by this event and the subsequent wave of anger and activism on social media, the article aims to map the digital activism and support mechanisms that emerged to resist gender-based violence and domestic violence. Focusing on the period February to March 2020, we analyse responses from Women for Women, a Facebook group of over 57,000 members. We are guided by reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2019) and our interdisciplinary approach draws on feminist theory, gender studies, cultural studies, psychology, and family studies as theoretical standpoints. Our findings highlight anger, sorrow, frustration, and a call to activism and action; online solidarity and support; and systemic victimization: structural, social, and financial. We argue that anger drives activism and that activism drives various actions. Furthermore, we explore how digital spaces like Women for Women foster a feminist community, empowering women to seek help, support each other, and consolidate collective resistance to GBV and DV. We gather and build on the recommendations that emerged from the women’s narratives.