Newspaper coverage and the prevention of child sexual abuse in Nigeria

Abstract Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) is a contending issue across the globe, but especially in Nigeria. Most significant and probably the most disheartening is Child Sexual Violence (CSA). Evidence show that the menace on the increase. Nevertheless, this study assumes that the mass media, particularly, newspaper has what it takes to change the status quo through its contents. Hence, the study set out to assess the content of Nigeria daily newspapers in other to determine the focus of their coverage regarding CSA - whether it is prevention based or otherwise. The study used qualitative and quantitative methods to answer the problem. In-depth interview was used to elicit information from journalists on the policies that define the production of news content on sexual gender-based violence while selected newspapers were content analysed based on four categories -. Central Theme, Genre, attribution and placement. Findings revealed among others that Nigerian newspaper contents on CSA is case-based rather than prevention based. The paper concluded that, newspapers have not fully activated their social responsibility role of helping to educate the masses adequately on the dangers of CSA in other to eliminate or minimise the menace. The paper consequently recommends among others, that the print media should step up to its agenda-setting role by engaging in more educative content on CSA aimed at parents, caregivers and children on the dangers of CSA and how they can prevent or avoid falling victim to CSA. Key Words: Child Sexual Abuse, Newspaper Coverage, Prevention, Nigeria. About the Author * Grace Iember Anweh is of the Department of Mass Communication, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria. JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 16, No. 2, October 2024, pp. 151-160 © Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON). Article Citation Anweh, G. I. (2024). Newspaper coverage and the prevention of child sexual abuse in Nigeria. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 16 (2): 151-160. Full Article Words: 5,404 Pages: 10 To access full article, click on download.