User talk:Chelly.byrne

You've chosen a challenging topic to write about, not just in the realm of privacy, but in subject matter.

Online communities have long been the support system for many an introvert over the years. Their importance is often overshadowed by those that think users put too much of their lives on the Internet, opening themselves up to possible crimes, bullying, and other potential misdeeds.

Sexual abuse of any type is so hard to talk about in person, that being able to hide behind a screen and share feelings and experiences without fear of being "found" is a life preserver for victims. Unfortunately, where users unknowingly reveal their identities is often a case of either not knowing how to use a forum or simply naivete.

Many people that find themselves in a community like this may be online for the very first time, trying to figure out how to deal with a traumatizing event and are often not exactly in the right frame of mind.

Of course there are no controls to figure out a users experience, so it up to the moderators to police for them, protect them from harm, and at the same time not trample on how they wish to be "heard and seen" in the support forum. It's a very fine line to tread and not for the weak of heart.

Good luck in your research and look forward to reading the results. ErikaLRich (talk) 20:26, 10 March 2015 (EDT)