Insensitivity to the suicide of cybersexism victims? Analyzing the consequences of posthumous reputation work through two notable cases from the 2010s

The relationship between cybersexism and suicide is often perceived as inevitable, despite its statistical rarity. Analyzing two cases of young women’s suicides, which were highly publicized at the onset of bullying prevention in France, reveals that reputation work conducted by the victim’s surroundings shapes the perception of the reported violence. In the first case, the family cited the victim’s mental health issues to discredit her. In the second case, the mother leveraged emotions of grief to rehabilitate her daughter’s memory and make her a symbol in the fight against bullying. These examples prompt a discussion on Durkheim’s fatalistic suicide concept in light of gender.