(Mis)Representations of sexual violence: the Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford testimonies

Abstract

ABSTRACTMedia’s negative representations of sexual violence have evolved over time in western culture. This study examines news coverage surrounding the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to confirm Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court. I focus on how women in the news industry articulate sexual violence in relation to Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony and the counter-testimony of Brett Kavanaugh. This analysis reveals that news media presents a hegemonic narrative that reinforces gendered stereotypes and a counter-hegemonic narrative that reveals the limitations of the dominant position that holds victims accountable. This study argues that oppressive articulations of sexual violence pervade media discourses, and that a re-articulation is necessary for social transformation.