Snapchat advertising encourages young people exposed to sexual abuse to seek help

In a groundbreaking study to combat image-based sexual harassment and sexual abuse, researchers Valerie Pijlman and Arianne Burgmeijer from the Netherlands Institute for Crime and Criminal Justice Research used Snapchat advertisements to encourage young victims to seek help. The study targeted Dutch youth aged 13 to 25 and used the popular social media platform to effectively target this demographic. The research focused on two distinct advertising campaigns, both aimed at encouraging victims of image-based sexual harassment (IBSH) or image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) to seek help from victim support organizations.

Innovative advertising strategies for young people

The researchers implemented a 2 x 2 x 2 quasi-experimental design for each campaign and manipulated three variables to measure their impact on ad engagement. These variables included mentions of shame, inclusion of the charity name, and use of youth-targeted language in the IBSH campaign, while in the IBSA campaign, youth-targeted language was replaced with mentions of self-blame. Engagement was quantified as a ratio of swipe-ups to impressions, providing a clear measure of the effectiveness of each ad variation.

The results of the study were revealing. The IBSH campaign achieved an engagement rate of 2.93%, while the IBSA campaign achieved a higher engagement rate of 3.79%. In particular, mentions of self-blame in the IBSA ads significantly increased user engagement, highlighting the crucial role of addressing self-blame, a common barrier to seeking help for victims of sexual abuse. Conversely, neither the use of youth-targeted language nor mentioning the name of the charity had a significant impact on engagement rates in either campaign. This suggests that while certain elements of ad content are crucial, others may not be as influential as previously thought.

Using social media to help victims

The findings highlight the potential of social media advertising as a powerful tool for victim support organizations to reach young victims of online sexual violence and encourage them to seek help. By addressing certain psychological barriers, such as self-blame, ads can better reach victims and encourage them to seek the help they need. However, the study also points out that more research is needed to understand how personal characteristics, such as age and gender, influence interaction with these ads. This understanding could help make future campaigns even more effective.

The use of Snapchat for this study was particularly strategic. Snapchat is a widely used platform among Dutch youth, making it an ideal medium to reach the target audience. The platform’s features, such as ‘quick adds’ and ‘streaks’, can facilitate the spread of both positive messages and, unfortunately, harmful content. The study used these features to spread helpful messages about seeking support after IBSH and IBSA experiences.

Removing barriers to seeking help

In addition to the main findings, the study also provided some insights into the broader context of online sexual violence. Sexual harassment and abuse based on images are common problems that can severely impact victims’ mental health and daily lives. Victims often face significant barriers to seeking help, including feelings of shame and self-blame, which can be exacerbated by societal attitudes and victim-blaming behaviour. By directly addressing these barriers in advertising, support organisations may be able to mitigate their impact and encourage more victims to seek help.

The research also highlighted the importance of credible advertising. Although mentioning the charity’s name did not significantly increase engagement, it is possible that the ad was already considered credible because it was distributed through a well-known platform associated with victim support. This points to the complex interplay between ad content and perceived source credibility, and suggests that future campaigns could benefit from further investigation of these dynamics.

Future direction of victim support initiatives

Overall, the study provides valuable insights for mental health professionals and victim support organizations. It shows that while social media advertising can be an effective way to reach and engage young victims of online sexual violence, the specific content and design of these ads must be carefully considered. Addressing psychological barriers such as self-blame is particularly important, as this can significantly increase engagement and encourage help-seeking. The research highlights the importance of continued research into the factors that influence advertising engagement, with the aim of developing even more effective strategies to support victims of image-based sexual harassment and abuse.

FIRST PUBLISHED ON: Devdiscourse