Misrepresenting the Victim: An Analysis of Newspaper Articles on Stand Your Ground Domestic Violence Cases

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

The past decade has witnessed significant and controversial changes to self-defense laws in the United States. Over the past five years, cases of domestic violence that reference the Stand Your Ground law have become more prevalent. Several of these cases have been publicized through both national and local news sources. Studies on domestic violence have criticized the way that media coverage tends to place responsibility on victims for provoking their abuse, and the way that media also reinforces stereotypes of victims based upon their gender, race, and social class. However, a specific analysis of news coverage on Stand Your Ground cases involving intimate partners has not been conducted. This study addresses this limitation through a content analysis of 116 newspaper articles on 25 domestic violence cases where Stand Your Ground was referenced as a defense. The results show that gender and race factor prominently into news coverage of these cases and that this coverage also lacks meaningful discussion about the applicability of the Stand Your Ground law. Suggestions are provided for how future research and policy can address these issues to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the Stand Your Ground law and how it affects victims of domestic violence.

Author

• Denise Crisafi, University of Central Florida