Presentation of rape : a content analysis of newspaper reports

Rape is a serious social problem that affects many American women. Although knowledge about rape has increased during the past few decades, stereotypes and myths about rape continue to exist. One reason these may persist is if newspaper reports of rape present a distorted version of the truth. The media may reflect societal beliefs and/or shape them. Media accounts of rape may support rape myths, which in turn support society's rape culture. This study examined articles published during January, March, May, July, September, and November of 1998 in The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. A keyword search was used to identify articles to be included in the sample. Content analysis was performed on 109 articles to establish whether certain characteristics, including the age, gender, race and occupation of victims and perpetrators; whether or not the names of victims and perpetrators were published; and if newspaper reports perpetuated stereotypes or contained rape myths. The analysis indicates that when a rape is reported in the news, it is either a sensational rape or promotes stereotypes of rape and its victims.