Abstract
Mainstream media has a long tradition of depicting sexual violence through stereotypes and misrepresentation. However, digital technology has recently highlighted alternate narratives that feature the stories of survivors of sexual violence. Although some scholars have welcomed digital narratives as facilitating activism that combats sexual violence through social media, for others, the online world is peppered with sexual abuse, sexism, and negative consequences for feminist activists. Underpinned by intersectional feminist theory, this chapter adopts the premise that sexual violence is an alarming narrative in many countries, including Australia. For migrant, refugee, bisexual, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, or transgender and gender diverse people, the risks of being attacked through sexual violence, online and offline, are exacerbated. Examining a highly mediatized case, the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins in Australia’s Parliament House, this chapter unpacks the politics of complaint towards postdigital feminist inquiry. The discourse is guided by reflections about: Who is allowed to complain, how does a complaint generate a digital narrative or transform into a messy, postdigital narrative? The chapter concludes by looking to the future of sharing narratives of sexual violence in contexts where politics, law, and social activism collide with the power of technology corporations.