engleski

Child Sexual Abuse News: A Systematic Review of Content Analysis Studies

Public knowledge and attitudes towards child sexual abuse (CSA) are shaped through media depictions and coverage. Since the media are the main source of information about child sexual abuse, studies of CSA news can help us understand how news is created, how child sexual abuse is presented to the public, and what is the possible impact of such presentation and coverage on the audience. Despite positive potential of CSA news (e.g., primary prevention, development of public policy, alarming public, encouraging victims to disclose sexual abuse), news may support CSA myths (incorrect beliefs about CSA, victims, and perpetrators), violate children’s right to privacy and dignity, victimize survivors, create moral panic, become a sort of guide to abusers or even sexually explicit material. A systematic review of content analysis research is conducted using predefined criteria in order to identify quality studies, main findings, research gaps and to develop recommendations for future studies of CSA news. International databases were systematically searched using keywords in September 2017. Total of 24 original quantitative content analysis studies published in the English language was included in the review and evaluated according to research methodology (units of analysis, sampling, coding and intercoder reliability). The framework of child sexual abuse news media studies is developed: 1) presentation and coverage of child sexual abuse (n = 16) ; 2) prevalence of coverage of CSA cases reported to the authorities (n = 2) ; 3) presentation and coverage of specific child sexual abuse case or issue (n = 6). Conceptualization of identified theories (framing theory, agenda setting theory, newsworthiness theory, moral panic theory and theory of stigmatization) is evaluated and main findings highlighted. Although studies represent valuable contribution, most did not meet content analysis design and reporting standards or both (e.g. calculating intercoder reliability), which seriously compromises validity and replicability requirements. Research gaps, recommendations for future studies and most common errors in conducting content analysis are emphasized.

Child sexual abuse news, systematic review, content analysis method, media presentation, media coverage

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