NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF THE SUN, THE GUARDIAN AND THE PUNCH NEWSPAPERS
Authors:
Nkwam-uwaoma, Adeline Phd; Ojiakor – Umenze, Ifeoma. C Phd & Nwamadu, Uchechi .E
Abstract:
The devastating effect of female domestic violence has been a matter of concern in the world and especially in Nigeria. It is one of the gender-based violence that causes physical, sexual, emotional, mental and economic harm. The need to remedy the rate of domestic violence against women and the girl child cannot be overstressed. The media features as one of the priority area in the prevention of domestic violence. This is because of its potential influence in shaping public opinion. Through news and information, the media can shape public discourse, provide interpretation, build a framework and modify behaviour. This paper, therefore, investigates newspaper coverage of female domestic violence in Nigeria. Three national newspapers namely the Sun, the Punch, the Guardian were content analyzed for the period of one year (2017). The analysis was based on the frequency, prominence, and depth of their news coverage. A total of seventy-two editions of newspaper were investigated. Frequency table, Simple percentage and charts were used to present the data. The study found that the level of prominence accorded to female domestic violence stories in Nigerian newspapers were low. Though most news stories on the issue received favourable coverage, yet they lack depth and follow up. Intimate partner homicide was the most news story covered by the papers and men were the dominant perpetrates of domestic violence. The authors, therefore, recommend a more representative way of reporting domestic violence against women as this can be part of the solution to eradicate domestic violence in our society.