사이버 공간과 여성참여 기초연구

Women's Participation in CyberSpace

Women actively participate in the cyber space and yet experience various kinds of alienation. This study is a preliminary attempt to gather information on and bring a light to women's experiences in the Internet realm. By analysing these experiences, this research is able to reveal the key conditions which would contribute to a more equitable use of the internet by women. A key aim within this work is to determine the means by which women's independence as cyber space participants can be secured by demonstrating the process by which women have attained a position within the context of interactions influenced by the cyber space culture. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in this study. Questionnaires were distributed and completed by 71 males and 79 females (total 150). They were randomly selected, among the age group of twenties and thirties, currently residing in Seoul, and users of the internet. The qualitative part, in depth interviews were carried out with 30 female internet users. With the aim of collecting diverse experiences which reflect the different needs and behaviors of the women, the participants of the interview were limited to those who had been using the internet for at least a year and who had been participating in various internet communities at the time of the interview. The first group of the interview participants was chosen on the cyberspace, and they helped us identify more participants. The interviews were carried out off line. The findings of this research on the characteristics and current status of women's internet participation are as follows: Women internet users increased greatly over a short time due to 1) increasing social support and construction of infrastructure, 2) cyberspace providing a means with which the physical limitations can be transcended, 3) women's needs for female-specific internet contents. The obstacles women users face in their activities on the cyberspace are 1) the material environment such as the limited computer access, 2) the shortage of technical information and assistance, and 3) the male-centered sex culture and sexual violence. In order to minimize the obstacles and to assist the expanding women's internet participation, we concluded that gender specific policies and strategies at least in three aspects need to be introduced: 1) Provision of Gender Specific Technical Training and Assistance, 2) Cyber Sexual Violence Preventive Systems, 3) Enhancing the Women's Cyber Communities.