“Hate Speech is Like a Weapon… It Destroys People”- Attitudes in Georgian Society towards Hate Speech

Yıl 2023, Cilt: 29, 48 - 53, 30.08.2023

Sopio Totıbadze

https://doi.org/10.55549/epess.1352005

Öz

It is well-known that language is often employed as a tool for gender oppression. Therefore, feminist and gender studies in linguistics ultimately aim to represent the problem, reflect on it, and propose ways to solve it. Together with technological advancement in communication, a new form of discrimination has arisen- hate speech used against women in electronic media discourse. Due to the nature of social media and the internet, messages containing hate speech can spread in seconds and reach millions of people. However, only a few know about the detrimental effects they may have on the addressee and society. This paper aims to analyse the answers to the anonymous questionnaire conducted on an electronic media platform. The questionnaire aimed to elicit what Georgian people know about hate speech and its detrimental effect on people. Altogether 200 people participated in the survey. As the research revealed, participants have heard of the hate speech, and have even been victims of it at a certain point in their lives. However, they do not know how to identify it. Thus, raising awareness about hate speech is of utmost importance to tackle the issue at hand.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Hate speech, Sociolinguistics, Media survey, Awareness

Kaynakça

• Gelber, K. (2002). Speaking back: The free speech versus hate speech debate. John Benjamins Publishing.
• Nakaya, A. C. (2021). Social media hate speech. Reference Point Press.
• Perry, B. (2001). In the name of hate: Understanding hate crimes. Routledge.
• Richardson-Self, L. (2021). Hate speech against women online: Concepts and countermeasures. Rowman & Littlefield, an imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
• Waltman, M., & Haas, J. (2011). The communication of hate. Peter Lang.