---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the most common experiences a…"
description: "\"“One of the most common experiences a woman has when discussing online abuse is either receiving advice about how to handle it or being condemned for h..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/bailey-poland-41130_quote_one-of-the-most-common-experiences-a-wom_2139069.jpg"
---

#  One of the most common experiences a woman has when…

![“One of the most common experiences a woman has when discussing online abuse is either receiving advice about how to handle it or being condemned for handling it “incorrectly.” This advice is sometimes well intentioned but often delivered in the form of a mansplaining response to a woman who is…” quote by Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/bailey-poland-41130_quote_one-of-the-most-common-experiences-a-wom_2139069.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/bailey-poland-41130_quote_one-of-the-most-common-experiences-a-wom_2139069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/bailey-poland-41130_quote_one-of-the-most-common-experiences-a-wom_2139069.jpg)

> ““One of the most common experiences a woman has when discussing online abuse is either receiving advice about how to handle it or being condemned for handling it “incorrectly.” This advice is sometimes well intentioned but often delivered in the form of a mansplaining response to a woman who is pointing out that cybersexist abuse has been directed her way. The advice may be meant in a nice enough way, but it’s offered with no thought to women’s actual experiences, no consideration of the consequences of following the advice, and no evidence that what is proposed would even be effective for reducing future instances of abuse.””

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Women often receive unsolicited advice on handling online abuse, which can be dismissive and ineffective, ignoring their lived experience and the real impact of such abuse.

**In simple terms:** Advice on online abuse often misses women's real needs.

Key Takeaway

Listen before advising; prioritize women's perspectives.

Themes

gender online abuse communication power dynamics

Mood

frustrated empathetic

Type

critical analytical

When to use this quote

- social media platforms
- support groups
- policy advocacy
- personal coping strategies

Key Concepts

mansplaining intersectionality digital safety

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we ensure advice respects women's agency?
- What alternatives exist to support victims effectively?

A Different Perspective

Advice may reinforce power imbalances and fail to address systemic issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Abuse Directed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-directed-2281106/) [Cybersexist Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersexist-abuse-4445702/) [Mansplaining Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mansplaining-response-4445704/) [Online Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/online-abuse-1578799/) [Pointing Cybersexist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointing-cybersexist-4445703/)

## Related quotes

> [Abuse directed at women is always sexual or violent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-mensch/abuse-directed-at-women-is-always-sexual-or-violent/)

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> [It's not a male and female footballer thing either, men go through a hell of a lot too. We're all in this, fighting online…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-greenwood/it-s-not-a-male-and-female-footballer-thing-either-men-go-through-a/)

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> [The No. 1 thing I've seen actually help with online abuse is when the person has a good community or a strong support network…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-quinn/the-no-1-thing-i-ve-seen-actually-help-with-online-abuse-is-when-the/)

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> [At one point, I was getting online abuse and it made me think that I didn't want to do TV again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-brooker/at-one-point-i-was-getting-online-abuse-and-it-made-me-think-that-i/)

[Alex Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-brooker/)

> [Some of my friends in this business have received awful online abuse, but I've so far pretty much avoided it - and I've largely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/some-of-my-friends-in-this-business-have-received-awful-online-abuse/)

[Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/)

> [The public can be brutal, even though we are plagued with messages about stopping online abuse, it's scary how much of it still exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zara-mcdermott/the-public-can-be-brutal-even-though-we-are-plagued-with-messages/)

[Zara McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zara-mcdermott/)

> [Online abuse has been a problem since the earliest days of the web.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-viner/online-abuse-has-been-a-problem-since-the-earliest-days-of-the-web/)

[Katharine Viner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-viner/)

## More by Bailey Poland

> [“This story is not at all an uncommon one in tech circles, including gaming. The popular notion is that women who get ahead must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/this-story-is-not-at-all-an-uncommon-one-in-tech-circles-including/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [“The public forum argument simultaneously insists that women be receptive, welcoming, and passive in the face of harassing comments while it excuses harassing behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/the-public-forum-argument-simultaneously-insists-that-women-be/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [“Cernovich, Yiannopoulos, and Sommers all found a marketing opportunity in Gamergate: a constantly active audience willing to buy whatever it was they felt like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/cernovich-yiannopoulos-and-sommers-all-found-a-marketing-opportunity/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [“Online threats of violence seem to have a very simple purpose: they are intended to act as a reminder to women that men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/online-threats-of-violence-seem-to-have-a-very-simple-purpose-they/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [“Calling the Internet a public forum is done to invoke a conceptualization of the Internet in which all expression is seen as valid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/calling-the-internet-a-public-forum-is-done-to-invoke-a/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [“What “don’t feed the trolls” misses is that, for these online cybersexist abusers, it doesn’t matter whether or not a woman responds to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/what-don-t-feed-the-trolls-misses-is-that-for-these-online/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [“Actually, it’s about ethics in games journalism” became the immediate and fervent reply to anyone discussing Gamergate’s harassment of Quinn. As she fled her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/actually-it-s-about-ethics-in-games-journalism-became-the-immediate/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [“Sexism is a combination of prejudice against persons based on their gender, combined with the privilege and power required to cause harm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/sexism-is-a-combination-of-prejudice-against-persons-based-on-their/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [“Everyone involved, from the figurehead to each individual harasser, is able to diffuse responsibility for the abuse among the group, claiming abuse was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/everyone-involved-from-the-figurehead-to-each-individual-harasser-is/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

[Explore all 10 Bailey Poland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

## More Online Abuse quotes

> [It's not a male and female footballer thing either, men go through a hell of a lot too. We're all in this, fighting online…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-greenwood/it-s-not-a-male-and-female-footballer-thing-either-men-go-through-a/)

[Alex Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-greenwood/)

> [The No. 1 thing I've seen actually help with online abuse is when the person has a good community or a strong support network…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-quinn/the-no-1-thing-i-ve-seen-actually-help-with-online-abuse-is-when-the/)

[Zoe Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-quinn/)

> [At one point, I was getting online abuse and it made me think that I didn't want to do TV again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-brooker/at-one-point-i-was-getting-online-abuse-and-it-made-me-think-that-i/)

[Alex Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-brooker/)

> [Some of my friends in this business have received awful online abuse, but I've so far pretty much avoided it - and I've largely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/some-of-my-friends-in-this-business-have-received-awful-online-abuse/)

[Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/)

> [The public can be brutal, even though we are plagued with messages about stopping online abuse, it's scary how much of it still exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zara-mcdermott/the-public-can-be-brutal-even-though-we-are-plagued-with-messages/)

[Zara McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zara-mcdermott/)

> [Online abuse has been a problem since the earliest days of the web.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-viner/online-abuse-has-been-a-problem-since-the-earliest-days-of-the-web/)

[Katharine Viner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-viner/)

[Browse all 7 Online Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/online-abuse-1578799/)

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