A study of postcolonial representation of sexual violence against female international students in Australian newspapers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sexual violence against female international students has received insufficient attention in academic research. This paper fills this void by analyzing how Australian newspaper articles, published from 2000 to 2019, portray sexual violence against these students through a critical framework informed by postcolonial feminist literature. The analysis reveals that the media tends to reinforce the idea of female international students as vulnerable and passive, reinforcing stereotypes through longstanding postcolonial tropes. Australian newspapers frequently portray them as ignorant, unhygienic, lacking credibility, or as exotic/sexual objects when covering sexual assault cases. Additionally, the media often invokes rape myths and engages in victim-blaming. Such representations in the newspaper may fail to offer a nuanced understanding of sexual violence experienced by female international students and downplay the importance of structural and environmental factors that contribute to this problem. The paper advocates for a change in media focus, urging great attention to structural and environmental factors while acknowledging the agency of international students. A more nuanced and contextualized understanding of sexual violence against female international students is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies that address the root causes of this issue.