Between Tradition and Modernity: Patriarchy and Power Dynamics in #ArewaMeToo Discussions on X Platform

Abstract

Background: Language is crucial to the production of discourses that legitimize sexual violence and rape since language is a symbolic system of power. It is through such power of discourse, that sexual violence and rape victims form linguistic narratives that enable them to share their experiences.

Objective: This research examines the patriarchal, religious, and cultural practices that legitimise sexual violence in Nigeria on the X platform.

Methodology: This study employed a qualitative design using Fairclough’s model of Critical Discourse Analysis. Data were purposively gathered and thematically coded. The sampled tweets comprise 100, manually gathered from #ArewaMeToo on X, produced by Nigerians. These tweets were numbered randomly from T1 to T100 based on how the data was gathered. (‘T’ represents tweets).

Results: Results indicate that strong religious and cultural explanations underpin the prevalence of rape and sexual violence practices in Northern Nigeria. It also provides evidence that patriarchal power structures enhance these practices. This accounts for the prevalence of certain ideologies that accompany such events, such as the ideology of silence and fear, shame, and stigma.

Unique Contribution: This study has revealed how X serves as a platform for users to express opinions on posts made by survivors and victims’ experiences of rape and sexual violence.

Conclusion: This study concludes that the conversations on the Nigerian X platform reflect some ideological perspectives and contentions underlying rape and sexual violence as well as reactions showing disapproval for such ideologies.

Recommendation: Further studies may embark on a critical discourse analysis of other hashtags that address rape and sexual violence and a critical discourse analysis of gender inequality using other social media platforms.