A computer-assisted textual analysis of 10,191 rape news headlines shared on social media

Abstract

Although rape is prevalent in Bangladesh, we have limited knowledge about how the media reports rape news. This study analyzed 10,191 headlines of rape news shared on ten Bangladeshi media's Facebook pages between 2013 and 2021. The aim was to investigate the media's rape news-sharing behavior by exploring the frequent topics of rape news. Following a computer-assisted textual analysis of the Bangla news headlines, this study found that media outlets share rape news on social media that is more likely to contain issues related to rape victims and judicial processes of rape crime. The news headlines provide information about rape victims, indicating their age groups and relations (e.g., teenager, young lady, girl, woman, wife), along with information about judicial processes (e.g., case, arrest, complaint, remand). The analysis further explored other prevalent topics in rape news that the media emphasizes, such as the elements used in rape (e.g., the promise of love and marriage, private video), the act of raping (e.g., tying, forcing, blackmailing, confining), and the places, states, and time of rape (e.g., alone, home, field). This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of news-sharing behavior, gender-based violence, and media framing of rape issues. It also offers methodological guidance to semi-automated social media text analysis for the Bangla language.