Informal Study on the Relationship Between Identity and Online Abuse
Hi there and thanks for taking the time to look at this. I'm Zoe Quinn, and I want to hear about your experiences online. This is largely for my own purposes as an activist and co-founder of Crash Override Network, an anti online abuse crisis hotline and survivor's advocacy group. It's painfully obvious to anyone who has experienced online abuse how identities factor into the equation, but I'd love to get some real numbers on it. We have internal information from our casework, but that is confidential.

This leads me to ask for your help. Being able to point to real numbers and examples and first hand reports would go a long way to helping arm both myself and our organization with data and case studies that we can point to when we're meeting with tech giants to help shape policy, giving talks, writing articles and books and guides, making informational materials, or figuring out how we can do better as activists and as an organization. While we have future plans on consulting with more community leaders (largely once we have the money to pay them for their time), we're a small volunteer-run organization that is run out-of-pocket by the cofounders. Sheer numbers would be a valuable tool - but I'm not about to start bothering random people about potentially traumatic experiences.

If you can take the time and feel like helping me out, I'd be tremendously grateful. If not, that's totally cool too. Any information you provide, it's totally up to you how it's used and when. If you want to be credited, it's up to you and how. If you provide something that would be helpful to cite, I will contact you and give you details and another chance to opt out (unless you don't care).  
Consent & Contact Info
What is your twitter handle, email address, or some other way to get in touch with you? *
For verification purposes - given the nature of the work we do, I'm fully anticipating the people who like to perpetuate online abuse attempting to falsify information, plus I need to be able to get in touch. Sorry for the invasiveness.
Are you willing to have any of this information be used for public-facing purposes? *
Basically do I have your permission to use this data for talks, articles, and other information? If it's not a simple yes or no, feel free to fill in your caveats in "other".
If you do consent to your information being used, please note how you would like to be credited if at all. *
If you want to be credited, please fill in "other" with how you'd like to be credited - name & byline is ideal.
If we use any information provided here, would you like to be notified?
Additional consent will be asked for if so. Nothing will be done without your approval.
Clear selection
Experiences With Online Abuse
How would you describe your identity? *
This includes but isn't limited to: gender, race, disability status, religion, sexuality, size, etc. Any you feel are relevant to the purpose of this informal study should be listed here.
Have you ever been targeted by the following: *
There will be space at the end of this survey for you to go into details and tell your stories if you want. Check all that apply.
Required
If so, who was targeting you?
Check all that apply. For multiple sources, please clarify in "other".
Were you being targeted by a coordinated group working together or by individuals?
Signs of coordination for the purposes of this survey are users who talk to each other, participate in the same hashtags, belong to an external community, or otherwise knowingly worked together to hurt you.
Clear selection
How often has this happened to you?
Do you know the original justification given for the abuse you experienced?
Reminder: It is never your fault when you are targeted by something like this, no matter how hard an abusive person may try to justify it. No matter the justifications, please please please know that it's never your fault when someone chooses to harm you.
What platforms did this occur on?
Check all that apply.
Did you report to the platforms this took place on?
Obviously this isn't a binary yes/no answer for everyone, so pick whichever statements are true.
If you filed reports, did the platforms take action?
Choose as many that apply.
If any action was taken, did it help?
Did you report anything to law enforcement?
Obviously this isn't a binary yes/no answer either, so pick whichever statements are true.
If you filed reports, did the police take action?
Choose as many that apply.
Has the abuse you've experienced online escalated into offline life as well?
While it's increasingly hard to draw the line between online and off, let's attempt to for semantic purposes. Check all that apply
Has anyone you know been targeted by the following due to their connection with you: *
Note: It is never your fault when someone else is targeted for these things. Blame lies squarely with the people carrying it out. Check all that apply.
Required
If so, what was their relationship to you?
List multiple people/contexts if needed. Names are not required.
How did they respond?
What are the ways in which your identity factors into the *TYPES* of online abuse you face?
What are the ways in which your identity factors into the *AMOUNT* of online abuse you face?
Which areas do you wish you knew more about in terms of getting yourself through periods of online abuse?
Opinions & Feedback
What do you think people who want to help people of your backgrounds should know that they seem unaware of, or have the wrong idea about?
What do you think people who want to help people of your backgrounds should do to help?
What do you think people who want to help people of your backgrounds should NOT do to help?
Experiences and Case Studies
Please share any stories you have about the abuse you've faced online that you'd like to share with us here.
Please share any success stories you have about what has actually worked to make things better for you online that you'd like to share with us here.
Please share anything else you think we should know here.
If you have any further concerns about how/if your information is used, caveats, or instructions, please discuss them here.
To reiterate - nothing will be done without your explicit consent.
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