Article

This Is What's Wrong With How The Indian News Reports Women's Issues

Since the December 2012 gang-rape of "Nirbhaya" in Delhi, there has been a rise in coverage on issues of sexual harassment and violence against women in the Indian news media.

Prior to this incident, sexual violence against women was largely thought of as a rural issue and hence had minimal reporting in the English press in India, whose target audience is largely urban and middle to upper class. However, "Nirbhaya" was studying to be a paramedic, was attacked on a bus in the capital city of the country, and was returning home from a movie with a friend—it was a situation that many readers of the English news could relate to.

In the aftermath of the rise in reportage on rape, a key question to be asked was: how were sexual violence and women's issues being framed and discussed in the press?

Related Content