Review of Selected Newspaper Coverage of Domestic Violence in Nigeria

Abstract

The general objective of the study was to investigate Nigerian newspaper reportage of domestic violence in Nigeria. Specifically, the study determined: volume of coverage of domestic violence stories; story sources; frames used in reportage; and themes employed in the articles. Three daily Nigerian newspapers were purposively selected for the research, namely, Daily Sun, the Guardian, and Vanguard newspapers. A total of 252 editions of these newspapers were analysed using composite week sampling technique from January to December 2017. Coverage for each newspaper includes Daily Sun 7 (21%), The Guardian 14(42%), and Vanguard 12(36%). These show that 33 stories on domestic violence were covered from the 252 editions sampled, indicating a low volume of coverage. This illustrates that domestic violence is an under- reported crime in Nigeria. This further indicates that the depth of coverage was substandard with zero emphases made on educating the audience on the dangers of domestic violence to society. Other findings include nine stories sources reportage of domestic violence. These including; neighbours 8(24%), victim’s families/friends 5(15%), police 5(15%), victims 4(12%), perpetrators 3(9%), government agencies 3(9%), court 3(9%), NGOs 1(3%) and unspecified sources 1(3%). Furthermore, five types of frame are used for reportage domestic violence in Nigeria newspapers. These include among others, human interest frame 17(52%), conflict frame 9(27%), responsibility frame 4(12%), consequence frame 2(6%) and morality frame 1(3%). Based on the findings, five remmendations were made, including that the content and language adopted innthe reportage should call out domestic violence for what it is, placing the blame where it belongs.