The WE-Talk AI GBV Narrative Challenge — ‘Unsafe sex’

This is Part 6 of a series inviting readers to take the AI GBV Narrative Challenge. The ‘challenge’ was created using insights from a study that used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse Jamaican online discussions about gender-based violence (GBV) between 2021-23. The study identified 11 main “narratives” around GBV. These narratives are strong shared beliefs that Jamaicans have, which often contribute to GBV in the country. As you read more about these 11 narratives, see if you can identify them in your own everyday speech and thought, and join us in challenging them using the strategies suggested.

Narrative 6: ‘Unsafe sex’

This is the shared belief that sex for women is supposed to be rough, painful, and violent.

Why is this narrative dangerous?

While rough sex under mutually consensual circumstances is not an issue, the general notion that sex should always be rough, painful and violent for women, especially as a demonstration of masculine prowess and stamina, can lead to situations of abuse, violence, coercion, and rape. It increases the risk of GBV and devalues women’s autonomy, agency and bodily integrity.

Think about two key points here: (1) What do you hear popular culture promoting more of: respectful, safe and consensual sex; or rough, violent sex? (2) What do you think happens when people are constantly exposed to ‘rough and violent sex’ messaging without that balancing reminder to be responsible, respectful and consensual in their sexual relations? Which message gets undermined? Who is more likely to be ridiculed? Who is more likely to be victimised? Do you now see how problematic it is to promote a narrative that glorifies violent sex and sex as ‘punishment’ without any mention of — or regard for — respect, safety and consent?

Key AI study findings:

1) Who is interested in this narrative?

• Men of all ages accounted for 52 per cent of the discourse on the ‘Unsafe Sex’ narrative

• 47 per cent of the posts about the ‘Unsafe Sex’ narrative were from people aged 35-54 years; 38 per cent were from people aged 18-34 years.

2) What is the sentiment around this narrative?

• 55 per cent of the conversation around this narrative was negative (for eg, posts were praising or joking about Jamaica’s purported ‘wildness’, violence and ‘carefreeness’ when it comes sexual acts)

• 15 per cent of the conversation around this narrative was neutral (for eg, posts demonstrated understanding of the relationship between sex and pain)

• 30 per cent of the conversation around this narrative was positive (people were critical of behaviours which promote unsafe sexual practices).

3) Is this narrative emerging, receding, dominant or stable?

• Stable (meaning many people were posting about it, but that number has not grown much from 2021-2023).

Take the challenge — be the change!

How can you challenge this narrative?

• Only engage in respectful, safe and mutually consensual sexual activities.

• Help promote healthy sex education among others: remind them of the importance of consent, respect and safety in sex.

• Become the balancer — whenever you hear or see arguments promoting rough and violent sex either in person or online, challenge the idea that the ability to deliver rough sex is a marker of masculinity. Is that what defines a ‘real’ or ‘good’ man?

These findings are taken from a study, ‘Tapping Social Media Using Artificial Intelligence to Understand Gender-Based Violence Norms and Perceptions in Jamaica’, done under the ‘WE-Talk for the Reduction of Gender-Based Violence’ project, being implemented by WMW Jamaica and CariMAN; funded by Global Affairs Canada and Oxfam Canada. Full research findings are available at https://cutt.l
y/WE-Talk-AI-Study. For more details, contact hello@wmwja.org.