This study analyzes young women’s descriptions and conceptualizations of cyberviolence and cyberbullying, including how they both challenge and reify mainstream cyberbullying discourses. The central themes analyzed include the way(s) in which self-representation in social networking sites are constrained through the limited options young women describe as being available for self-expression in these spaces, how notions of publicity, privacy and context-specific communication in social networking sites factor in girls’ descriptions of platform architecture, and how platform architecture often amplifies cyberviolence. Finally, the study unpacks the reasons that young women offer to explain why adults are often so out of touch when it comes to understanding cyberbullying and its relationship to young people’s digital culture. This dissertation contributes to cyberviolence studies, feminist new media, and girls’ digital culture studies, and has relevance for critical feminist criminology, by centring the voices of young women in order to investigate cyberviolence through participatory video with a sizable number of young women. The findings are based on data collected through eight participatory video workshops, two co-produced short documentaries and six focus groups with one hundred and twelve (N=112) participants in total under the larger umbrella study “Cyber & Sexual Violence: Helping Communities Respond” (2013-2016). This project was a community partnership between the Atwater Library and Computer Centre in Montreal and the TAG Lab at Concordia University, and was funded by Status of Women Canada. I employ an interdisciplinary theoretical framework that puts feminist new media studies, feminist approaches to online misogyny and girls’ digital culture studies into conversation with the extant literature on cyberbullying and cyberviolence. This theoretical approach is used to examine how the social norms in the discourse communities of social networking sites that girls outline in their descriptions of cyberviolence are structured through age-old misogynistic myths and impossible contradictions around femininity. Employing a participatory arts-based feminist lens allowed me to invite participants to share their perspectives in an accessible and fun way while examining their work through qualitative thematic analysis. Among the many findings this research produced, three key themes extend as threads that run throughout the dissertation. First, my participants did not relate to the term ‘cyberbullying’ in the way that adults often use it. While researchers and policy-makers continue to debate how to define cyberviolence and cyberbullying, participant responses illustrated the need for more dialogue around the toxic social norms and assumptions that currently structure young people’s digital culture, mainstream cyberbullying debates and anti-cyberbullying programming. Secondly, young women’s focus on issues of publicity versus privacy, anonymity, and peer surveillance highlights both the nuances that girls’ voices contribute to ongoing cyberbullying debates and how social networking sites amplify age-old double standards facing women and girls in visual culture and the public sphere. Finally, the themes of empathy and education that emerged from participants’ suggestions for strategies with which to address cyberviolence underscore the systemic changes that will be necessary in tackling the continually evolving and widespread phenomenon of cyberviolence. Participants conceptualize cyberviolence and cyberbullying as existing along a continuum of daily interactions in social networking sites that include encountering everything from mean jokes to sexual violence.

Orientador: Vera Aparecida Madruga / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação Física / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T10:46:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Conceicao_MiguelSoares_M.pdf: 1532956 bytes, checksum: 8b4cb337b2669a48e0b8c68602a72f25 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: O presente estudo analisou as alterações nos marcadores indiretos de dano muscular após uma sessão de ações excêntricas de flexores do cotovelo com diferentes velocidades de movimento, em mulheres jovens e na pós-menopausa. Participaram da pesquisa 37 mulheres, voluntárias, com idade compreendida entre 18 a 65 anos. Essas voluntárias foram divididas em quatro grupos. Grupo de mulheres jovens que executou ações excêntricas com velocidade rápida (n=10) e grupo de jovens que executou ações excêntricas com velocidade lenta (n=9). Grupo de mulheres na pós-menopausa que realizou as ações excêntricas com velocidade rápida (n=10) e grupo de mulheres na pós-menopausa que realizou as ações excêntricas com velocidade lenta (n=8). As ações excêntricas foram realizadas no braço não dominante, utilizando-se um dinamômetro isocinético, e consistiram em 30 ações excêntricas máximas divididas em cinco séries de seis repetições. Para analisar a magnitude do dano muscular foram utilizados marcadores indiretos como a contração isométrica voluntária máxima (CIVM), amplitude de movimento (AM), circunferência de braço, dor muscular, creatina quinase (CK), interleucina-6 (IL-6), fator de necrose tumoral (TNF-?) e prostaglandina (PGE2). A CIVM, AM, dor muscular e circunferência de braço foram avaliadas pré, imediatamente após, 24, 48 e 72h após a execução de ações excêntricas. Para a atividade plasmática da CK, IL-6, TNF-? e PGE2, as coletas aconteceram pré, 24, 48 e 72h após as ações excêntricas. Como resultado desta dissertação é apresentado um artigo original. O objetivo do estudo original apresentado foi comparar as alterações dos marcadores de dano muscular e inflamação entre mulheres jovens e na pós-menopausa após ações excêntricas. Diferenças significantes entre grupos foram encontradas para torque excêntrico e TNF-? na qual, mulheres na pós-menopausa apresentaram maiores valores (p<0,05). Uma correlação positiva significante (p<0,05) se estabeleceu entre idade x dor e idade x PGE2. Concluindo, esses resultados não suportam a hipótese que mulheres na pós-menopausa são mais susceptíveis ao dano muscular induzido por ações excêntricas comparado a mulheres jovens / Abstract: The present study have analyzed the changes in muscle damage and inflammatory markers after an acute bout of elbow flexors eccentric exercise at difference velocities, in young and post menopausal women. 37 women aged between 18 and 65 participated of the study. They were divided into four groups, (1) fast velocity, young women (n = 10); (2) slow velocity, young women (n = 9); (3) fast velocity, postmenopausal women (n = 10) and (4) slow velocity, postmenopausal women (n = 8). Eccentric exercise consisted of five sets of six maximal elbow flexors eccentric repetitions performed with the nondominant arm in an isokinetic dynamometer. It was assessed voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), range of motion (ROM), arm circumference, muscle soreness, creatine kinase (CK), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-?) and prostaglandin (PGE2). The MVIC, ROM, muscle soreness and arm circumference were assessed before, immediately after, 24, 48 and 72h after eccentric exercise. For the plasma activity of CK, IL-6, TNF-? and PGE2, the blood samples were made before, 24, 48 and 72 hours after the eccentric protocol. As result of the present dissertation it is presented an original article. The aim of the presented original study was to compare changes in indirect markers of muscle damage and inflammation in young and postmenopausal women after maximal eccentric exercise. Significant differences were found between groups for eccentric torque and TNF-?, with greater values for postmenopausal women (p<0.05). A positive significant correlation (p<0.05) was found between age x muscle soreness and between age x PGE2. In conclusion, these results do not support the hypothesis that postmenopausal women were more susceptible to eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage than young women / Mestrado / Atividade Fisica, Adaptação e Saude / Mestre em Educação Física

Uppsatsens syfte var att undersöka unga kvinnors syn på faktorer till välbefinnande och jämföra synen med självskattad KASAM. Åtta unga kvinnor från ett särskilt utsatt område deltog i kvalitativa intervjuer och svarade på ett KASAM-13 frågeformulär. Empirin från dessa analyserades utifrån teorierna salutogenes och systemteori. Resultatet visade på att de unga kvinnorna hade en medvetenhet om vilka faktorer i det särskilt utsatta området som var viktiga för deras välmående. De viktigaste identifierade faktorerna till välbefinnande var relationer, känslan av gemenskap, naturen och vikten av det egna ansvaret. Resultatet från KASAM-13 frågeformuläret var spritt, då tre intervjupersoner låg under det svenska medelvärdet, två intervjupersoner låg nära det svenska medelvärdet och tre intervjupersoner låg över det svenska medelvärdet. Studien visade inte på några entydiga resultat om hur synen på faktorer till välbefinnande och självskattad KASAM påverkar varandra. / The purpose of this study was to explore young women’s perception of factors of wellbeing and compare this perception to their SOC. Eight young women from a socioeconomically vulnerable area participated in interviews and answered a SOC-13 questionnaire. The empirical material was analysed with the Salutogenesis theory and the Systems theory. The results showed that the young women were aware of which factors in the socioeconomically vulnerable area were important for their wellbeing, which were: relationships, sense of companionship, nature and their own responsibility. The results from the SOC-13 questionnaire were mixed, three of the participants were below the Swedish average, two participants were near the Swedish average and three participants were above Swedish average. The study does not show any clear results on how the perception of factors of wellbeing and SOC-13 affects each other.

Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie var att undersöka hur kvinnor i det unga vuxna formativa utvecklingsstadiet upplever att deras självuppfattning och självkänsla påverkas av Instagram. Åtta kvinnor i åldrarna 18-25 deltog. Den induktivt tematiska analysen genererade fyra huvudteman. Utvecklingsfas (respondenternas ålder i förhållande till sina upplevelser); sociala mediers funktion (respondenternas syfte med sin användning); självet och normer (vad väljer respondenterna att visa på Instagram och varför); och det sociala samspelet (hur respondenternas användning av Instagram står i relation till andra personer). Resultatet går i samklang med tidigare forskning och implicerar överlag att det som visas på Instagram tydligt kan kopplas till respondenternas ålder, självuppfattning, självkänsla och det sociala samspelet. Samtliga teman relaterade till hur respondenterna upplevde att det påverkade deras självuppfattning och självkänsla. / The purpose of this research was to investigate how women in their emerging adulthood experience how their self-perception and self-esteem is affected by Instagram. Eight women in the age 18-25 participated. The inductive thematic analysis generated in four main themes. Stage of development, (the respondents age relative to their experience); function of social media (what purpose Instagram has for the respondents); the self and norms, (what the respondents choose to show on their profile and why); and social interaction (how the respondent stands in relation to other people on Instagram). The result goes in line with previous research and implies overall that what is shown on Instagram can be clearly connected to the respondent’s age, self-perception, self-esteem and the social interaction. How the respondents experience stands in relation to how this affects their self-perception and self-esteem is discussed in every theme.

Secular trends in breast cancer incidence in younger women suggest environmental factors, like exposure to environmental chemicals, may play a role in rising incidence. One of the strongest risk factors for developing breast cancer, next to family history, is high mammographic breast density, which is defined as the proportion of fibroglandular breast tissue relative to fat as seen on a mammogram. Phthalates, a ubiquitous endocrine disrupting chemical, have the potential to interfere with endogenous hormones like estrogen and androgens. There is growing evidence from animal and epidemiologic studies indicating distinct periods of heightened susceptibility to endocrine disrupting chemicals throughout the life course, particularly during critical windows of breast development. Exposure to hormonally active environmental chemicals like phthalates may be a modifiable risk factor for breast cancer, therefore reducing or eliminating exposure could have substantial public health benefits. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to assess the relationship between exposure to phthalates during two critical windows of susceptibility, the prenatal and pregnancy periods, and its effect on breast tissue composition in adolescence and adulthood. First, a comprehensive review of epidemiologic studies summarized the body of evidence for the association between phthalate exposure and intermediate markers known to be in the causal pathway of breast cancer risk (age at breast development, menarche, and breast tissue composition). This systematic review of the literature aimed to identify potential patterns of evidence by outcome and timing of exposure. Evidence from this review suggested that phthalate exposure during the prenatal and childhood periods may play a role in altering menarche. Findings for phthalate exposure and age at breast development were inconclusive. There was a considerable lack of epidemiologic data on phthalate exposure and breast tissue composition throughout the life course. Based on one study, there is a potential association between phthalate exposure during pre-puberty and altered breast tissue density in adolescent girls. No study assessed the relationship between phthalate exposure during the prenatal or pregnancy period and subsequent breast tissue composition. Second, an examination for the association between prenatal phthalate exposure and breast tissue composition measured in adolescence (Chapter 3) and the association between phthalate exposure during pregnancy and breast tissue composition measured during or after the postpartum transient period (Chapter 4) aimed to address this major gap identified from the comprehensive review. The empirical chapters of this dissertation used data from an ongoing longitudinal birth cohort study of mothers and their children conducted by the New York City Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health and the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Project (CCCEH-BCERP). The CCCEH-BCERP study cohort has prospective data on nine phthalate metabolite concentrations measured during the third trimester of pregnancy and breast tissue composition measured in a subsample of mother-daughter dyads. Notably, we used novel non-invasive methods (optical breast spectroscopy) in this younger cohort of mothers and daughters to objectively measure specific components of the bulk breast composition before mammography screening age. There was significant evidence of altered breast tissue composition in both mothers and daughters. For daughters (n=127, mean age 15.2 ± 1.9 years), prenatal exposures to select low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) phthalate metabolites altered overall breast density in opposing directions, which appears to be driven by significant altered percent breast water. There was a significant association between higher prenatal levels of a LMW phthalate metabolite (monobutyl phthalate) and lower levels of overall breast density (adjusted β = -0.32; 95% CI: -0.51, -0.13) and significant association between sum of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (∑DEHP), a HMW phthalate metabolite, and higher levels of overall breast density in girls (adjusted β = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.34). For mothers (n=133, mean age 41 ± 5.3 years at follow-up), there was a significant association between two LMW phthalate metabolites and lower levels of percent breast collagen. Additionally, there was a significant inverse relationship between levels of mono-(3-carboxypropyl), a HMW phthalate metabolite, and percent total hemoglobin of the breast (adjusted β =-0.03; 95% CI: -0.06, 0.00, p=0.05). Overall, this dissertation increased our understanding of the impact that exposure to phthalates during critical windows of susceptibility may have on specific components of the breast. Reducing exposure to both HMW and LMW phthalates may have an impact in reducing breast cancer risk, particularly for girls prenatally exposed, as there was stronger evidence of higher overall breast density and percent water from exposure to select HMW phthalates. Future prospective studies should confirm these results as findings might provide an opportunity for modifying potential breast cancer risk.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka 18–25 åriga kvinnors erfarenheter av nätmobbning samt om normbrytande faktorer bidrar till deras utsatthet. Studien utgick från kvalitativ grund med fem semistrukturerade intervjuer. Utifrån detta analyserades intervjuerna med hjälp av de teoretiska ramverken, genusteori och socialkonstruktivismen. En tematisk analysmetod genomfördes, vilket resulterade i tre huvudteman erfarenheter, kvinnors utsatthet på internet och könsnormer. Studiens resultat visade att unga kvinnor har erfarenheter av nätmobbning, antingen genom att de själva blivit utsatta eller att de bevittnat någon annans utsatthet på internet. En central aspekt som intervjupersonerna belyste i studien, var de bidragande faktorer till deras utsatthet, det framkom att normbrytande beteenden och normbrytande utseenden ökade risken för utsatthet på internet. Sammanfattningsvis betonades förebyggande och åtgärdande socialt arbete i relation till studiens resultat. För att arbeta förebyggande på mikro-, makro- och mesonivå krävs det en kartläggning av risk och skyddsfaktorer, resurser samt omfattande kunskap om ämnet nätmobbning. / The purpose of this study was to investigate 18–25 year-old women's experiences of cyberbullying and whether norm-breaking factors are contributing to it. The study was based on a qualitative basis with five semi-structured interviews. Based on this, the interviews were analyzed with the help of the theoretical frameworks, gender theory and social constructivism. A thematic analysis method was implemented, which resulted in three main themes of experience, women's susceptibility on the internet and gender norms. The results of the study showed that young women have experience of cyberbullying, either by being subjected themselves or by having witnessed someone else be subjected to cyberbullying. A key aspect that the interviewees highlighted in the study was the contributing factors to their susceptibility on the internet, it emerged that norm-breaking behaviors and norm-breaking appearances increased the risk of being subjected to cyberbullying. In summary, proactive and remedial social work in relation to the results of the study was emphasized. To work proactively on micro-, macro- and meso, it requires an analysis of risk and protective factors, resources, and extensive knowledge of the subject cyberbullying.

In Swaziland, cases of cervical cancer among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-positive adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are increasing, but there is low uptake of cervical cancer screening. This study was conducted using the systems thinking theory to explore the relationships between the uptake of cervical cancer screening among HIV-positive AGYW in Swaziland and the availability of trained health providers, cervical screening services, and the provision of referrals for cervical screening. The study also investigated any differences in uptake of cervical screening based on age group. For this quantitative cross-sectional study, secondary HIV program data that were collected routinely between January 2016 and March 2018 were accessed. Data were described with univariate analysis while relationships were tested using bivariate analysis and logistic regression. Most facilities (97%) had staff who had been trained; facilities with greater numbers of trained staff were more likely to have a higher uptake (OR: 30.3, p = 0.000). Facilities with cervical screening services were also more likely to have a higher uptake (x2 = 16.94, p = 0.000), and facilities with all the core components for screening had the highest uptake (p = 0.002). AGYW who had a positive screen were referred equally but the referral rate was low (20.45%). There was no difference in uptake by age group. The results of the study can increase knowledge of the institutional factors that contribute to the low uptake of cervical cancer screening among HIV-positive AGYW and has implications for social change by informing interventions for improving cervical cancer screening uptake in HIV-positive AGYW in similar settings, ultimately reducing the high costs, morbidity, and mortality related to cervical cancer in this population.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Arts At the University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg 2016 / This study explored the subjective experiences of a population who appear to be at relatively high risk of potential violence and harm, specifically female university students who are compelled to commute by taxi on a daily basis. The study aimed to explore and document the psychological experiences of these female university students including their anxieties, levels of traumatic stress related responses, cognitions and fantasies, and conscious and unconscious adaptations to their circumstances. It was hoped that information gleaned would contribute to, and possibly expand the understanding of what the lived experience of Continuous Traumatic Stress (CTS) might entail. In order to investigate the research questions, ten students who were identified as being compelled to use minibus taxis as their primary mode of transport to and from university participated in semi-structured interviews on the topic of their experiences in this space and how they adapt to and survive in their circumstances. The study was located in the qualitative research tradition and the interview transcripts were analysed using critical thematic analysis. The main themes were identified and presented under four sections; exposure to traumatic events, the effects and impacts of these events, managing and coping, and gender related experiences in the taxi commuting space. Exposure to traumatic events included taxi driver aggression, motor vehicle accidents, crime and violence, xenophobic attacks and gender related trauma. The most prominent effects or impacts that were identified were firstly, anxiety, fear and preoccupation with danger and secondly, numbing, resignation and hopelessness. The tactics which were employed by participants in managing and coping with their circumstances included, prayer and observation and management of their commuting environment. It was through observation and self-management that participants practiced strategies that allowed them some measure of control in terms of how they conducted themselves in the taxi commuting space. Under the final section, participants revealed their gender related experiences reporting a sense of being exploited, being subject to sexual harassment, and the constant fear of rape or sexual violation. The links between these participants’ experience and the concept of CTS are presented and it is argued that many aspects of their experience appear consistent with CTS. / GR2017

Sweden has a high rate of unintended pregnancies (UP) despite being a rather open society regarding sexual health education. New technology provides new possibilities to improve access by providing contraceptive consultations online, but will that lower the rate of UP? Very few studies have been done on the people working with the young women to find out what can be done to improve the quality of the contraceptive counseling. That is why this study involved two midwives practicing at a youth center at an early stage of the design process. Cultural Probes was used as method to better understand what needs midwives experience in their daily work. Three key findings stating the needs of the midwives were knowledge, missed appointments and trust. In addition, a service evaluation was done to investigate when and how midwives and young women interact. Making the contraceptive consultations available online with a digital care provider would make it more accessible for the young women and the results of this study do not contradict that hypothesis. However, availability is not the sole influencing factor on contraceptive usage. This study shows that encouragement for young women to seek general knowledge and information about contraceptives prior to the consultation is an important factor in order to improve the quality of contraceptive counselling. / Trots Sveriges relativt öppna samhälle gällande sex och sexualundervisning så har vi en väldigt hög frekvens av oönskade graviditeter. Ny teknik möjliggör att hålla preventivmedel konsultationer online vilket leder bättre tillgänglighet, men frågan är om det räcker för att sänka frekvensen oönskade graviditeter? Väldigt få studier har gjort på barnmorskorna som jobbar med de unga kvinnorna för att får reda på vad mer som kan göras för att höja kvaliteten på preventivmedelsrådgivningen. Därför har denna studie, i ett tidigt stadie av designprocessen, involverat två barnmorskor praktiserande på en ungdomsmottagning. Cultural Probes användes som metod för att bättre förstå vilka behov barnmorskor upplever i deras dagliga arbete. Det främsta resultatet summeras i tre teman: kunskap, missade besök och förtroende. Dessutom utfördes en serviceutvärdering av hela kundresan för att ta reda på när och hur barnmorskor och unga kvinnor interagerar. Genom att möjliggöra preventivmedelsrådgivning online genom digital vård så skulle tillgängligheten förbättras för de unga kvinnorna och denna hypotes är inget som denna studie motsätter sig. Men tillgänglighet är inte den enda faktorn som påverkar användandet av preventivmedel. Denna studie visar att uppmuntran till att få unga kvinnor att söka kunskap och information om preventivmedel innan själva besöket är en viktig del som skulle kunna förbättra kvaliteten på preventivmedelsrådgivningen

For a long period, the fashion- and advertising industry have contributed to unattainable beauty ideals among young women and retouching is not a new phenomenon. However, the rise of social media has led to easy access to free retouching applications and beautifying camera filters. The beauty ideals are maintained in today's society through camera filters' allusion to female beauty ideals. Young women can easily transform their appearance to fit within societal norms. Due to this, the study aims to investigate young women’s experiences of image manipulation tools. The study also aims to analyze whether image manipulation is important for young women's self-image and whether self-presentation on social media is adapted to the expectations of the individuals in the environment. The results of this qualitative study are based on six semi-structured interviews with women between the ages of 18 - 25, who continuously use image manipulation tools on social media. Furthermore, the study's theoretical framework is based on Goffman's dramaturgical perspective, Hirdman's gender system and West and Zimmerman's concepts of 'doing gender'. The results of this study clearly illustrate an ambivalence in young women's reasoning concerning camera filters and retouching. On the one hand, a positive attitude to the possibility of changing one's appearance is emphasized. On the other hand, negative consequences and their damage are clarified. Consequently, a prominent conclusion is that image manipulation tools have an impact on young women's self-image, which results in a normalized approach to beauty procedures. The results also show that individuals in the environment are important for female self-presentation on social media. Preparation of self-portraits and feedback in terms of likes and comments is an important part of self-presentation. / Reklam- och modebranschen har sedan länge bidragit till utseendefixering bland unga kvinnor och retuschering är därmed inget nytt fenomen. Framväxten av sociala medier har dock skapat en lättillgänglighet av retuscherande gratis-applikationer och förskönande kamerafilter. Detta har medfört att utseendenormer upprätthålls genom kamerafilters anspelan på kvinnligt skönhetsideal. Unga kvinnor kan genom endast en knapptryckning förvandla utseendet för att passa in i samhällsnormerna. Syftet med studien är därmed att få en djupare förståelse för unga kvinnors upplevelser av bildmanipulationsverktyg. Studien syftar även till att undersöka om bildmanipulation har betydelse för unga kvinnors självbild och om självpresentationen på sociala medier anpassas efter omgivningens förväntningar. Resultatet av den kvalitativa studien baseras på sex semistrukturerade intervjuer med kvinnor i åldrarna 18 till 25 år, som kontinuerligt använder bildmanipulationsverktyg på sociala medier. Vidare utgår studiens teoretiska ramverk från Goffmans dramaturgiska perspektiv, Hirdmans genussystem samt West och Zimmermans begrepp “doing gender”. Studiens resultat betonar en ambivalens i unga kvinnors resonemang om kamerafilter och retuschering. Å ena sidan poängteras en positiv inställning till möjligheten att förändra det egna utseendet. Å andra sidan tydliggörs negativa konsekvenser och dess skada. Ytterligare en framträdande slutsats är att bildmanipulationsverktyg har betydelse för unga kvinnors självbild, vilket i sin tur innebär ett normaliserat förhållningssätt till skönhetsingrepp. Resultatet belyser ytterligare att individer i omgivningen har en avgörande betydelse för unga kvinnors självpresentation på sociala medier. Förberedelser av självporträtt och feedback i form av likes och kommentarer utgör en viktig del av självpresentationen.