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The Weight Of Words: A Content Analysis Of Rhetoric In Online News Articles Reporting On Sex Crimes, Julie Snell Oct 2019

The Weight Of Words: A Content Analysis Of Rhetoric In Online News Articles Reporting On Sex Crimes, Julie Snell

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the rhetoric that is used in online news articles about sexual assault to see if discriminatory language is prevalent when reporting on different races. A content analysis of 100 online news articles was conducted to answer two research questions: 1) In what ways, if any, does the media use discriminatory rhetoric in online news articles when reporting on sexual assault offenders who are, or appear to be, racial minorities? 2) In what ways, if any, does the media use discriminatory rhetoric in online news articles when reporting on sexual assault victims who …