When Rape Victims Become Symbolic Representations of War: A Textual Analysis of The NY Times Reporting on the Use of ‘Rape as Weapon of War’ in Darfu

This paper examines how journalists reported about rape victims in Darfur. The findings reveal how rape victims were reduced to symbolic representations of a conflict between Arab and Black Sudanese men. Furthermore, inclusion of graphic details about the acts of rape, reinforces the rape victims’ humiliation through public disclosure of their experiences.

Publisher: Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Marriott Downtown, Chicago, IL, Aug 06, 2008
Year of Publication: 2008