Abstract

Throughout history, practically every society has recorded domestic violence. In patriarchal cultures, inequality and repression that end in physical, mental, or emotional violence have long been accepted as the norm. The objective of the study was to ascertain how social media could be employed in Exploring Users’ Reactions towards Social Media Messages on Domestic Violence against Women in Southeast Nigeria. The survey research method was utilized for the study, with the online questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. The study population comprises adult internet users in southeast geo-political zone amounting to 14,684,504 internet users. A sample size of 400 was obtained using the Cochran formula of sample size determination. The findings of the study show that respondents generally agree that social media messages on DVAW enlighten them about heinous social practices supporting abuse against women. Additionally, Social media is perceived as a potential tool to combat practices that promote abuse against women. However, the majority of respondents acknowledge that social media fuels certain negative practices against domestic violence (DV) victims, including trivialization, blame, bullying, and decreased empathy. Based on the findings, it is recommended that institutional intervention is an essential strategy. School and church-based initiatives would be a low-cost approach to reach a massive number of children and teenagers and educate them on the dangers of gender stereotypes and norms.