Frame Analysis of U.S. News Media Discussions of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization

• In Event: Gendered Violence in the Media

Abstract

Cultural contexts provide a frame for making sense of phenomena such as intimate partner violence (IPV). As culture changes, so do these frames. This study examined current cultural constructions of IPV through conducting a frame analysis of U.S. news media portraying IPV. Most media presented IPV as an isolated event. However, compared to previous research, it seems there was an increase in thematic framing due to the #MeToo anti-violence movement and the U.S. gun control debate. IPV was often portrayed as a motivation for charitable acts such as fundraisers, awareness campaigns, or non-profit work. Victims and perpetrators were often not portrayed, but when they were portrayed, they were described generically (i.e., any person is at risk of IPV victimization). Possibly due to the effects of #MeToo and the gun control debate, the most commonly portrayed remedies for IPV were the encouragement to discuss IPV openly and discussion of legislation to limit gun access to perpetrators. Future research could examine why some social movement messages are more likely to influence media frames than others, whether thematic frames could generate empathy and support for marginalized victims, and what type of media framing supports or impedes acknowledgement of victimization.

Author

• Julie Sriken, Regis University