Social Networks and Social Justice

The phenomenon of the hashtag was first utilized on Twitter over a decade ago. (Hitchings-Hales and Calderwood 2017) It has helped handle worldwide campaigns to bring issues to light of sexism, inequality, sexual abuse, and strife. "Hashtag activism encourages brisk reaction to imperative events with only a couple of tweets, Facebook posts and instant messages. For dissent coordinators, online networking is a quick and simple approach to make the platform, and that makes it simpler for individuals to gather." (Jamarillo 2017) The National March Against Rape Culture is grasping the hashtag activism by using the hashtags, #NMARC2018 and #SAAM which are trending on social networking sites such as Twitter.

According to Meg Cale, "There are numerous reasons why social activists are concentrating on advanced media to spread their message, yet the primary reason is that it separates the conventional obstructions to activism; access, time, and money." (Cale 2017) The Internet is making the world more interconnected. It can likewise simplify the research procedure; simply composing a couple of keywords into Google and an extensive number of results fly up inside seconds. A standout amongst other things is that digital media improves activism by showing social causes to individuals who aren't actually searching for it. Also, not every person has room in their busy schedules to take part in traditional activism. Supporters can frequently contribute online considerably simpler than when disconnected. For instance, sharing a news article on Facebook can grab the attention of many individuals. Because of lower time duties, a significantly larger amount of supporters can be pulled in while empowering an high state of engagement from individuals who don't think about themselves as activists. The National March Against Rape Culture is an ideal case of utilizing online networking to shed light on rape culture. Supporters can donate directly to the event's home page; they may share information on the event on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media networks; can take part in a one-day event that includes a low level of effort; and can focus on bringing attention to a specific cause.

Social justice campaigns, like the National March Against Rape Culture, are the tools currently being used by activists to tell their story and bring about social awareness and possible change. Their ultimate goal is to cause the effect by engaging thousands of like-minded individuals in the fight for an unprejudiced and unbiased world in which to live. They are a forum for fairer laws, affordable healthcare, driver safety, drug free/tobacco free children, child labor laws, and even sexual abuse. The campaigns are diverse, covering a range of issue areas from education to the environment to social justice. They empower citizens, protect the environment, and advocate for women and girls across the world. Many are even gaining national attention through the support of media celebrities.

To improve on the goal of reaching a larger audience, NMARC can develop a news release to send to News Stations and Talk Shows such as ABC and Ellen as well as a Social Media News release and Video News Releases. An effective strategy that would make the campaign more effective is the use of celebrities as spokespersons which would grab the attention of the media. NMARC can also create a free app that gives exclusive information about future events and shares places to go, such as support groups or professionals to see if you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault. I look forward to reading about its impact on the issue of rape culture in future legislation.

Regardless of how we feel about social justice campaigns, they are here to stay. Activists must take full advantage of the opportunities they provide and be strategic about how to call attention to their cause. I believe the National March Against Rape Culture is a perfect example of an effective social justice campaign. While taking strides to one day achieve its goal of putting an end to rape culture, The March does achieve its goals of bringing awareness to the issue of rape culture, specifically sexual assault, connecting assault survivors and their allies to like-minded individuals and giving those involved a sense of community and safety.

NMARC has already raised over $100 through their GoFundMe page, has over 100 followers on Twitter, 988 people expressed their interest in the March through the NMARC Facebook Event, 142 people liked the NMARC Facebook page and 145 people followed the page. This information can be found on the NMARC GoFundMe page, Facebook Page, and Twitter Page. The March has also added to the increased amount of awareness surrounding rape culture, specifically sexual assault. With posts shared to the personal social media accounts of the individuals who attended or supported the March, especially those that used the hashtags used by NMARC, the NMARC gained attention which in turn provided more awareness to the social issue of rape culture.

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