NEW RESOURCE: Changing the narrative on rape

Leading women’s rights organisation, the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) and academic Alessia Tranchese have today launched a new resource to support responsible media reporting on rape.

Based on analysis of twelve years’ coverage in the mainstream British press, the resource finds a number of rape myths persist in media coverage, shaping how we talk about this violence and influencing public attitudes to it. These include:

• A shift away from overt victim-blaming towards subtler forms of doubt about victims’ credibility, i.e. through use of the word ‘alleged’
• The dominance of the myth that all rape is violent ‘stranger rape’ when in reality, most perpetrators are known to the victim and rape does not always involve additional physical violence
• Hierarchies of victims and perpetrators, with wealthy, high-status perpetrators afforded greater sympathy, and Black or marginalised women receiving less media attention than white women’s cases

These findings are important because information from the small number of cases that gain media coverage is likely to be particularly influential in shaping the public’s understanding of rape, skewing society’s perceptions about this violence and fuelling harmful, sexist myths about who should be believed and why.

The prevalence of rape myths in media reporting also means victims may not immediately understand that what happened to them was rape, meaning they may not access the support and justice they are entitled to. It can also impact the way the criminal justice system understands rape and impact which victims are taken seriously.

With the rise of misogynistic influencers and a worrying regression in young people’s attitudes towards rape, responsible reporting is more important than ever. Equally, journalists are facing multiple pressures – balancing the demands of a 24-hour news cycle, pressure to drive high engagement, meeting standards of conduct and sensitivity to victims, journalistic ethics and integrity, and more.

Andrea Simon, Executive Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said:

“Recent months have shown just how far we have to go to change narratives around men’s violence against women, with headlines and media coverage of a series of high-profile cases reflecting harmful and sexist attitudes in the reporting of this violence.

The media is a key player in preventing violence against women and girls due to its role in shaping public attitudes and awareness. We know journalists are often constrained by working within a legal, social and judicial system that is rooted in inequality, but with this resource we are hoping to provide opportunities to reflect on the language used to talk about rape and begin to shift some of society’s harmful myths and stereotypes about victims.” 

Alessia Tranchese, Senior Lecturer in Communication and Applied Linguistics at the University of Portsmouth and author of the resource, said:

“Often, rape myths are not expressed in such blatant terms but can be more subtly embedded in discourse, especially in a more “progressive” society. As rape myths evolve and adapt, they become harder to dismantle.

Women’s words are presented as allegations, rather than reports, that need to be substantiated by facts. Men’s words – especially white men and celebrities – are presented as denials that need no justification. These are often reinforced with vehemently, strongly, vigorously, categorically, strenuously. The aim is to not stop at changing surface language choices, but to challenge the cultural narratives behind those choices.”

Launch event

To launch the resource, we are hosting a free event for journalists and media professionals which will explore the findings and recommendations in detail, along with a panel discussion and Q&A.

Date

3.30 – 5pm, Thursday, 26th September 2024

Expert panel

• Alessia Tranchese, senior lecturer at the University of Portsmouth
• Alexandra Topping, senior news reporter for the Guardian
• Andrea Simon, Executive Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition
• Melissa Sigodo, journalist at the Mirror and editor of the Thread newsletter
• Yvonne Roberts, journalist for the Observer, writer and broadcaster
• Others to be announced

Watch the recording of the event here

Download the resource here

ENDS

Contact

Sinead Geoghegan, Head of Communications, sinead.geoghegan@evaw.org.uk 07960 744 502