Why don't faculty members report incidents of online abuse and what can be done about it?

The mobilization of academic research via online platforms presents a troubling paradox. Digital-first publications offer the opportunity for scholars to reach a wider audience, yet this same online vehicle for knowledge mobilization opens scholars to the risk of online abuse. Furthermore, the concept of online abuse is often misunderstood or dismissed by post-secondary institution administrators. The aim of this research is to understand why faculty members who experience online abuse do not report the such abuse to their administration, even though there is indication that support from administration is needed to manage the problem. Drawing from a series of semi-structured interviews and focus groups, this research examines the reasons why faculty members decide not to report their experiences of online abuse to their various academic administrators. A total of 11 faculty members in academic positions located North America agreed to participate in the research. We used a combination of semi-structured and narrative interview questions to understand participants’ experiences of online abuse. The data was coded using the constant comparative approach to identify emergent themes (Glaser & strauss, 1967), a nd guided by the research questions. The Theory of Planned Behavior was used to schematize the attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral controls that dissuade reporting of online abuse, and provide institutional recommendations that may encourage reporting and improve support for targeted faculty members. This study contributes to theory and practice by offering that when academic administrators foster a culture of care, faculty would be encouraged to report incidences of online abuse.