Representation of Violence in News Media-Rape - Literature review Example

Representation of Violence in News Media-Rape Name: Lecturer: Course: Date: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Case Study 3 Analysis: Representation by the Media 4 Concepts theorizing the Culture of Rape 5 Hetoro-normativity 5 Power 8 Conclusion 10 References 10 Introduction This paper explores the concepts of power and hetero-normativity within the context of a case provided, depicting representation of rape in the news media. It further discusses how the media has served to construct public norms on male and female victims, offender and agency1. The essay argues that if the media fails to integrate an intimate relationship between sexuality and gender in constructing gender identities in cases of rape, then a partial perspective on what actually transpired in incident shall be obtained. Accordingly, representation of violence in the news media is examined with focus of analysis on rape. The paper aims to show an understanding of how violence is represented in a way that is not neutral, and that it is inflected by culture and that this helps to shape our understanding of the subject position and subjects involved in the incidences. Case Study As reported by Aljazeera, the public mistook a woman who was thrown out of a moving vehicle in Assam, India to have been a victim of gang-rape. The public discourse triggered public outrage and protests2. According to Aljazeera, the misconstruction was triggered by earlier new reports on cases of gang rapes that have rocked the Asian country. The National Commission for Women commented that the incident was a reminder of a physiotherapy student who had been gang raped in New Delhi in December last year. In the present case, rampant media reports on gang rapes criticized for leading the public to suppose that the woman who was thrown out had been sexually assaulted. Aljazeera reported that three men were in the vehicle when the incident occurred. Further reports indicate that the woman was not only allegedly gang raped but had been beaten up before being thrown out of a moving vehicle. Amid the allegations, reports indicated that police were still waiting for an autopsy report to establish the cause of the woman’s death and to establish whether she had possibly been raped. The woman had taken the vehicle to pick up her daughter from school before the incident occurred3. Analysis: Representation by the Media Based on the facts presented by the news article, the media has depicted rape culture as a hideous practice in the Indian social life that is propagated by men. Media construction of rape, the victims and perpetrators has damaging effect on public perceptions of sexual offences in addition to the conviction and reporting of sexual offences4. From the case example of the media report on a gang raped woman, it is clear that the media coverage of rape in India triggered the outrage of protests across the country. It is further perceivable that in representing rape, the media has often focused on the portraying the alleged offenders as guilty (men) while sympathizing with the victims (women). Hence, the sympathy has always been on the victims first, just as it has often happened to any other persons targeted by violent crime5. As shown in the example, it is easy to condemn the media for promoting a partial representation of men as guilty and women as victims. Such instances portray a deeper problem in the way many people in India misinterpret and misunderstand sexual assaults cases6. In the case, even before the facts could be established of what led to eviction of the woman out of the vehicle, the public has already decided that she had been gang-raped. New coverage seems to have harped on the fact that she had been gang-raped in a moving vehicle before the eviction7. Concepts theorizing the Culture of Rape Hetoro-normativity Hetero-normativity describes how heterosexuality is promoted strongly as a norm in sexuality. The assumption of natural and normal status of heterosexuality is made through a process referred as normalization8. The concept takes on the absolute position of being the natural order or sexuality, principally through the way that is associated with the male-female natural biological binary. However, normalization of heterosexuality is determined by institutional practices, the public discourse, language and the daily life encounters. For instance, in the example, public discourses and media interpretations promote the normalization process of heterosexuality in relation to three men raping a woman. The assumption made in the example that one injured woman in the custody of a group of men will most often be a case of gang rape is an example of normalization process. In which case, normalization of heterosexuality is definitely a social phenomenon negotiated with the dominant public discourse. Representation of violence in the news media is therefore the determinant of how the public will most certainly make assumptions on who is the victim and offender -- or whether to sympathise with the former and condemn the latter. The theory of “penis-vagina” penetration indicates the genital separation of the females and the male. Through the media, the concept of penetration informs public discourses that surround the rape and other sexual violence. Foucault suggested that rape should be treated as another form of assault without any sexual specificity points out his idea that the desexualisation of rape can free the disciplining discourse that constructs sexuality as a means to gain social power9. In any case, the concepts of rape and its sexual association need to be discussed in light of presumptions on hetero-normativity underlying their construction. In the case, the dominant assumption is that of hetero-normativity. Within the context of the case, it is perceivable that it has seamlessly been translated into social law across India. In which case, the conception of binary identities anchored in sex is the norm by which India uses to discriminate when judging sexual violence10. As demonstrated in the case, the central idea underlying the idea of hetero-normativity is that heterosexuality is considered the norm and that the Indian citizenry has to comply with the norm. For instance in the example, the public appeared to comply with the norm and hence staged public protests as they assumed that the woman must have been gang raped just because she had been in the company of three men. Based on this discussion, it can be argued that most theories on sexuality and gender depends on the presumption of the sexual orientation of individuals based on their sexuality, which is another kind of manifestation of the heterosexual norm propagated by societies through discourse11. The public discourse in the example is that men are innately given to rape women. Public discourse shows less sympathy for the men (who are at the top of power hierarchy) who are depicted as offenders than protecting the general population, which may be affected. Hence, basing on the premise of protecting the interest of the women, the media has distorted sexuality, gender and individual agencies. Further, an individual’s sex appears to be the determinant of his gender, sexuality and agency in the case of media representation in India. Therefore, the assumption of the media and the public discourse in India are clearly quite reluctant to deviate from using hetero-normative assumptions of sexuality12. Power According to Foucault, power is represented through and in discourse. It is an influence working over individuals whom it is exercised, rather than an actual object that can be possessed or located in certain individuals or agents13. In the example, the media’s representation of rape has only further reinforced the idea that males control sexual access to females. Based in the public discourse in the case, whether or not rape is an act of sexual aggression is contested in by the media. The concept of power is embedded in public discourse on hetero-normativity that serves to construct rape as an act of sexual violence that males commit against females. Hence, the very depiction of rape by the media promotes an understanding of gender and sexuality. According to the power dynamic theory, there is an order of control in society, where men tend to perceive themselves as dominant and controlling, while women are perceived to be at the bottom and subject to men. The danger of reserving power dynamic, where those at the top lose their positions of power to those at the bottom may explain to a certain extent why those at the top of hierarchy rape those who are at the bottom of the hierarchy. Based on this perspective, rape should be defined as an act of dominance over women, which works systematically to promote gender-stratified society where women are assigned disadvantaged status as the targets and victims of sexual violence14. Further, concerning power and signification, rape is represented in the media as an act perpetuated by the men who are in power over fairer sex. In addition, the language used symbolizes discrimination itself. In which case, the whole female body is depicted by the vagina, indicating a predictable potential for pain and damage. In supporting the rape as a process and not an act, Robinson points out that rape does not happen to pre-constituted victims. It temporarily makes victims15. In portraying rape as an act, the media promotes the idea that the person in power or the offender is accused of complying with the act of rape. Therefore, viewing rape as a process promotes understanding of rape in terms of power and victim. Modern power depends less on taboos and laws than on the social norms regulating societal behaviour. As suggested by the concept of hetero-normativity in rape in the case, the process of normalization is largely dependent on the forms of identity to guarantee social control16. Towards this end, it follows that an individual does not defy the forces of normalization by innovating new forms of social or sexual identities. Within this concept, it is clear that the media will always treat heterosexuality to be the case in every rape case. Hetoronormativity most certainly concerns power, or a reinforcement of a culture of power related to heterosexuality. Conclusion In conclusion, if the media fails to integrate an intimate relationship between sexuality and gender in constructing gender identities in cases of rape, then a partial perspective on what actually transpired in incident shall be obtained. Public discourse shows less sympathy for men (who are at the top of power hierarchy) who are depicted as offenders than protecting the general population, which may be affected. Hence, basing on the premise of protecting the interest of the women, the media has distorted sexuality, gender and individual agencies. Further, an individual’s sex appears to be the determinant of his gender, sexuality and agency in the case of media representation in India. Therefore, the assumption of the media and the public discourse in India are clearly quite reluctant to deviate from using hetero-normative assumptions of sexuality. References Al Jazeera 28 Nov 2013, Uproar in Indian state over alleged gang-rape, Aljazeera.com, viewed 9 Dec 2013, Annavarapu, S 2013, "Hetero-normativity and Rape: Mapping the Construction of Gender and Sexuality in the Rape Legislations in India," International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences Vol. 8 No. 2, pp.248-264 Brown, M 1996, The Portrayal of Violence in the Media: Impacts & Implications for Policy, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra Dean, T 2013, Lacan and Queer Theory, viewed 9 Dec 2013, http://cas.uchicago.edu/workshops/composers/files/2013/11/Tim-Dean-Lacan-and-queer-theory.pdf Foucault, M 1976, The will to Knowledge: The history of Sexuality: Vol 1, Penguin Books, London Surtee, N 2013, Teachers following children?: Heteronormative responses within a discourse of child-centredness and the emergent curriculum, Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, viewed 9 Dec 2013, http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/australian_journal_of_early_childhood/ajec_index_abstracts/teachers_following_children_heteronormative_responses_within_a_discourse_of_child_centredness_and_the_emergent_curriculum.html The Harvard Crimson 2013, Rape Culture and the Media, viewed 9 Dec 2013, http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/3/29/Harvard-Steubenville-Rape-Culture/ Marhia, N 2008, The Lilith Project 2008 Representation? Just Press reporting and the reality of rape, http://i4.cmsfiles.com/eaves/2012/04/Just-Representation_press_reporting_the_reality_of_rape-d81249.pdf Robinson, K "'Queerying' gender: Heteronormativity in early childhood education," Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, viewed 9 Dec 2013, http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/australian_journal_of_early_childhood/ajec_index_abstracts/queerying_gender_heteronormativity_in_early_childhood_education.html Read More

Such instances portray a deeper problem in the way many people in India misinterpret and misunderstand sexual assaults cases6. In the case, even before the facts could be established of what led to eviction of the woman out of the vehicle, the public has already decided that she had been gang-raped. New coverage seems to have harped on the fact that she had been gang-raped in a moving vehicle before the eviction7. Concepts theorizing the Culture of Rape Hetoro-normativity Hetero-normativity describes how heterosexuality is promoted strongly as a norm in sexuality.

The assumption of natural and normal status of heterosexuality is made through a process referred as normalization8. The concept takes on the absolute position of being the natural order or sexuality, principally through the way that is associated with the male-female natural biological binary. However, normalization of heterosexuality is determined by institutional practices, the public discourse, language and the daily life encounters. For instance, in the example, public discourses and media interpretations promote the normalization process of heterosexuality in relation to three men raping a woman.

The assumption made in the example that one injured woman in the custody of a group of men will most often be a case of gang rape is an example of normalization process. In which case, normalization of heterosexuality is definitely a social phenomenon negotiated with the dominant public discourse. Representation of violence in the news media is therefore the determinant of how the public will most certainly make assumptions on who is the victim and offender -- or whether to sympathise with the former and condemn the latter.

The theory of “penis-vagina” penetration indicates the genital separation of the females and the male. Through the media, the concept of penetration informs public discourses that surround the rape and other sexual violence. Foucault suggested that rape should be treated as another form of assault without any sexual specificity points out his idea that the desexualisation of rape can free the disciplining discourse that constructs sexuality as a means to gain social power9. In any case, the concepts of rape and its sexual association need to be discussed in light of presumptions on hetero-normativity underlying their construction.

In the case, the dominant assumption is that of hetero-normativity. Within the context of the case, it is perceivable that it has seamlessly been translated into social law across India. In which case, the conception of binary identities anchored in sex is the norm by which India uses to discriminate when judging sexual violence10. As demonstrated in the case, the central idea underlying the idea of hetero-normativity is that heterosexuality is considered the norm and that the Indian citizenry has to comply with the norm.

For instance in the example, the public appeared to comply with the norm and hence staged public protests as they assumed that the woman must have been gang raped just because she had been in the company of three men. Based on this discussion, it can be argued that most theories on sexuality and gender depends on the presumption of the sexual orientation of individuals based on their sexuality, which is another kind of manifestation of the heterosexual norm propagated by societies through discourse11.

The public discourse in the example is that men are innately given to rape women. Public discourse shows less sympathy for the men (who are at the top of power hierarchy) who are depicted as offenders than protecting the general population, which may be affected. Hence, basing on the premise of protecting the interest of the women, the media has distorted sexuality, gender and individual agencies. Further, an individual’s sex appears to be the determinant of his gender, sexuality and agency in the case of media representation in India.

Therefore, the assumption of the media and the public discourse in India are clearly quite reluctant to deviate from using hetero-normative assumptions of sexuality12.

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