In an age where social media platforms are central to discussions on justice, safety, and activism, we see that a troubling pattern has emerged: the censorship of words like “rape” and “sexual assault.” Many platforms now automatically flag, hide, or reduce the reach of posts containing these words – unless users disguise them with symbols or altered spellings (e.g., “r@pe” or “s**ual assault”). While the intent behind these restrictions is to curb harmful content, in practice, they often silence victims and advocates who are using these terms to seek help, share experiences, and push for social change.

The Problem with Blanket Social Media Censorship

The justification for these bans is the existence of bad actors – people who spread harmful or predatory content using these terms. However, instead of targeting those who weaponise language for harmful purposes, platforms have taken a broad approach that penalises everyone. This results in a digital landscape where survivors of sexual violence struggle to openly share their experiences, journalists have difficulty reporting on critical cases, and activists find their educational content suppressed.

Social media algorithms, which often lack human nuance, treat all uses of these words as equally problematic. A survivor sharing their story or an expert providing information on sexual violence prevention may find their content flagged or their account penalized, while actual harmful content often slips through due to more sophisticated evasion tactics employed by bad actors.

Victims Should Be Able to Use the Words That Describe Their Experiences

For many survivors, speaking about their trauma in clear, unaltered language is an essential part of healing and advocacy. When platforms force users to censor their own words, they send a harmful message: that these experiences are too “dangerous” to be spoken about directly. This not only isolates survivors but also weakens broader conversations about sexual violence, making it harder to raise awareness, support victims, and push for systemic change.

When the words themselves are silenced, it diminishes the gravity of the issues at hand. It becomes harder for society to acknowledge the widespread prevalence of sexual violence, and by extension, to demand change. Survivors deserve to be heard without the burden of modifying their language just to ensure their message is seen.

The Need for a Better Approach

Instead of blanket censorship, platforms should focus on a more nuanced approach. AI moderation systems must be trained to distinguish between harmful content and legitimate discussions. Human moderators should be employed to review flagged posts in context rather than issuing automatic bans or shadowbans. Most importantly, the focus should be on suspending and removing actual bad actors – those who use these words to spread harmful, predatory, or violent content – rather than silencing people trying to fight these very issues.

Additionally, social media companies should be transparent about their moderation policies. Many users find their content removed or their accounts restricted without any clear explanation, making it difficult to challenge unfair decisions. By providing clearer guidelines and an appeals process, platforms can build trust with their communities and ensure that social media censorship does not disproportionately impact those who are using these words for legitimate purposes.

A Call for Change

Survivors and advocates deserve the ability to speak freely and openly about sexual violence without fearing suppression. By shifting the focus from censoring words to identifying and removing users who misuse them for harm, platforms can create a safer and more just digital space – one that empowers victims instead of silencing them.

The conversation around sexual violence needs to be open and unrestricted. If survivors and activists cannot use the correct language to describe their experiences, it hinders awareness, education, and progress. The responsibility should be on social media platforms to protect victims, not to make their voices harder to hear.

By making these necessary changes, platforms can create an environment where important discussions on sexual violence are encouraged rather than stifled, ensuring that awareness and advocacy efforts can reach those who need them most.

It’s time to stop making survivors mask their words. The real problem isn’t the language – it’s the people who misuse it. We say it’s high time we push for policies that protect victims rather than silence them.

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