Author(s): AyÅenur GÃLDESTE
In many societies and cultures, children of all ages are exposed to sexual abuse. However, in recent years, there has been a serious increase in the cases of child sexual abuse. It is observed that the way of publishing news on child sexual abuse in newspaper and the photographs and titles used in news have a style restricting individual freedoms of child victims and their families. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of media on society about child sexual abuse and to evaluate the extent to which the news is based on ethical principles. To this end, news regarding child abuse published in a six-month period in a newspaper with a high circulation in our country has been used in the study. In the research, the content analysis method was used and the findings obtained in the result of analysis were interpreted. Within the scope of the research, it has been addressed whether the attitudes and ethical concerns regarding the ways of reporting news, the photographs used in news and child rights were taken into consideration by the media. It has been observed that in the aforementioned news, there is weakness on moral grounds in the use of visuals and in the selection of news headlines and, the personal rights of the victims and their family are not paid sufficient attention. The child’s rights and ethical principles are violated in order to draw attention to news and make them newsworthy. According to the results of the study, victims of abuse are generally girls and abusers are men who girls know.
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