“ITT: Rape Analysts” Hosting Negotiations of Consent, Kink, and Violence in Virtual Space by Lauren Menzie A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Law and Legal Studies Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario © Lauren Menzie 2018 ii Abstract This project examines the use of virtual space in navigating the meaning of consent after the fact. Recently, some individuals have begun to interrogate their own past sexual experiences through the use of online sex education forums, blogs, and subreddits. Through this process of eliciting community feedback, many have (re)framed these experiences as consensual or nonconsensual. Using data that was obtained from five distinct Reddit communities (or subreddits), comprised of 66 posts and over 4,000 comments, this thesis examines this process as both an extralegal, reflexive negotiation of consent, and a user-constructed virtual trial. This discussion posits that the use of these spaces (rather than traditional legal/institutional resolutions) is a response to the significant changes in how consent has been conceptualized within the mainstream; this is exemplified through academic literature theorizing consent and the shifts in Canadian governance of sexual assault. iii Acknowledgements This work would not have been possible without my supervisor and friend, Professor Ummni Khan. Ummni, thank you for putting up with my far-reaching (and perpetually extending) deadlines, and for the encouragement, insights, and guidance you’ve provided. Thank you to my committee, Professor Rena Bivens and Professor Jena McGill, for your time, your advice, and for the support and challenges you’ve brought to this project. I am immensely grateful for all my teachers, professors, and mentors who have supported me over the years. Richard, I cannot express what a huge source of support you have been, nor the influence you have had on my work. Dale, I have you to thank for insights in qualitative methods, and for your friendship and encouragement. I would also like to thank the larger academic communities I am privileged to be a part of; thank you to the faculty of Criminal Justice at The University of Winnipeg, as well as the Law and Legal Studies faculty at Carleton University. Thank you to my cohort for contributing to a stimulating academic environment. To Darby, Deepa, Taryn, and the many that I’ve inevitably missed, thank you for your influence on my work and, more importantly, for the much-needed breaks from my work. Alex, my soul sister, you are everything to me. Our Southdale Tim’s dates turned Skype dates have always been the highlight of my week. You were the first person to read this project, and your support has meant the world. Nicole, my odd bird, your compassion for the people in your life is inspiring. The carefully worded critiques and perspectives that you have brought to this work has undoubtedly benefited it. I treasure you both. Thank you to my parents, Kim and Gord, for their support, encouragement, and love. My mother, particularly, for strengthening my intellectual curiosity at an early age by answering all my legal questions with “I can’t tell you that, it’s confidential.” I’d also like to thank my grandparents – two of my absolute favourite people – for their love, their support, and for taking care of my cacti. Duncan, thank you for the help with online terminology but, more importantly, thank you for being the best brother and friend anyone could ask for. I love you all. To my partner, Nolan, thank you for being there. Thank you for helping with my legal citations, for patiently listening whenever I wanted to talk through my work, and for all the times we’ve gone for oysters. Thank you for always being my loudest voice of support. I love you. Andy and Karrol, thank you for your love, support, and for making me feel like family. And, of course, thank you to all the dogs in my life. To Isla, Rusty, Bear, and Thor, thanks for the enthusiasm, love, and for never asking me about my thesis. Most of all, I have to thank my best girl, my Moka, for giving me unconditional love, immeasurable support, company on long walks, and an occasional cuddle. I am forever grateful. iv Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iii List of Tables .......................................................................................................................v List of Illustrations ...............................................................................................................v List of Appendices ...............................................................................................................v Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................1 Chapter 2: Literature Review and Theoretical Framework ...............................................10 From Rape to Sexual Assault: Codified Law ................................................................ 10 Sexual Assault in the Common Law ............................................................................. 12 Theoretical Section: Harm, Judging, and Belonging .................................................... 21 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 31 Chapter 3: Methodology and Space ...................................................................................33 Ethnographic Content Analysis ..................................................................................... 33 Data Collection and Analysis ........................................................................................ 38 Reddit as a Space of Analysis ....................................................................................... 42 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 50 Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis ......................................................................................52 Limitations .................................................................................................................... 52 Consent as Gatekeeping ................................................................................................ 53 Risk Aversion and Post-Sex Anxieties.......................................................................... 62 BDSM Communities as Educators ................................................................................ 66 Male Reporting .............................................................................................................. 76 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 81 Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusion ..............................................................................83 Consent as a Moral Panic .............................................................................................. 83 Final Thoughts ............................................................................................................... 88 References ..........................................................................................................................91 Legal Cases and Factums .............................................................................................. 91 Scholarly Sources .......................................................................................................... 92 Appendices .......................................................................................................................102 Appendix A ................................................................................................................. 102 v List of Tables Table 1: Representation of OPs by Gender and Role (Victim or Perpetrator)……….….77 List of Illustrations Image 1: Banner on r/bdsm ................................................................................................67 Image 2: Banner on r/BDSMcommunity ...........................................................................67 Image 3: Banner on r/sex ...................................................................................................67 Image 4: Rules from r/bdsm ..............................................................................................68 Image 5: Rules from r/BDSMcommunity ..........................................................................68 Image 6: Rules from r/sex ..................................................................................................69 Image 7: Guidelines from r/sex ..........................................................................................69 List of Appendices Appendix A – Coding Index………………………………………………………….102 1 Chapter 1: Introduction My title begins with a quote, “ITT: Rape Analysts.” ITT, an acronym meaning “in this thread,” speaks to the nature of online spaces and the conversations that emerge from discussion forums, whereas “rape analysts” would be persons predominantly concerned with assessing sexual harms. This thesis is concerned both with the nature of virtual spaces and the