Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

STATEMENT:

THE AUTHOR argues that the media uses stereotypes of victims and offenders in the way it
tells rape stories and shows scant regard for the privacy of sexual assault victims. The media
reports rape cases in a sensationalist manner as part of an adversarial judicial system where it
is the defense lawyer’s job to discredit the victim and defend the rapist.

PROPOSAL FOR PUBLICATION

IMPLICATIONS: ETHICAL GUIDELINES AND MEDIA PRESENTATION

MODES: INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS AND ARCHIVAL REPORTS

RESEARCH DESIGN: CONTENT ANALYSIS

SUPPORTING PROCESS: CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS, PRINT CRITICISM,

CROSS CHECKING

SUBJECT: Reporting on Rape - Media Coverage Content Analysis

ASSUMPTIONS:

The sensationalist reporting of rape by the media contributes to the following:

• Under-reporting of rape to police and hides the real causes of rape in our society.

• Detrimental to the part of the victim and cause harm and damages to his life.

• Simplifying “violence against women” and rejecting human rights.

• Diminish the possibilities of the rape case to be solved.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

This content analysis will suggest the following:

• Understanding violence against women in terms of sexual assault.

• Understanding the media’s presentation and it’s culpability on handling stories of rape.

• Ethical guidelines in reporting rape.

MATERIALS OF ANALYSIS:

RAPE CASES:

High profile rape cases according to Supreme Court and Publications: The Chiong rape
case and Jalosjos rape case

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July 16, Marijoy Chiong, college beauty
1997 queen, raped and killed
Jacqueline Chiong, raped
(disappeared)
The Supreme Court sentenced to death on February 3, Jacqueline and Marijoy were
2004 the following suspects: waiting for a ride home when
they were forced into a car at
about 10 p.m. on July 16,
• Francisco Juan "Paco" Larrañaga, a scion of
1997 at the Ayala Center
the influential and powerful Osmeña clan
Cebu.
• Jozman Aznar, whose family owns a hospital
and a school
The sisters were brought to a
• Rowen Adlawan house in Barangay
• Ariel Balansag Guadalupe, Cebu City, where
• Alberto Caño they were raped. Then they
were brought to Sitio Tan-
James Anthony Uy, one of the seven suspects, was awan in Carcar town, about
spared from the death penalty because he was only 16 40 km south of here, where
at the time the crime was committed they were again molested.

James Andrew Uy, older brother of James Anthony, Marijoy's badly bruised body
was originally sentenced to death, but was downgraded was found in a ravine in Sitio
to life imprisonment after the court found out that he Tan-awan a day after the
was only 17 years old when the crime was committed. abduction. Jacqueline's body
remains missing to this day.

Jalosjos case

1996 11-year old girl, raped Zamboanga del Norte Congressman Romeo Jalosjos Statutory rape case.
was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of two
counts of statutory rape and six counts of acts of
lasciviousness..

The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decision

sentencing Jalosjos to two reclusion perpetua. He was
also ordered to pay the additional amount of
P50,000.00 as civil indemnity for each count of
statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness.

The SC also increased to P50,000.00 the award of

moral damages for each count of acts of
lasciviousness. .

• Archives: Printed news articles of broadsheets: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine

Star, Manila Bulletin, Manila times and Malaya and tabloids: Bulgar, Tempo and
Abante from July 16-19, 1997; July 16-20, 1996.

PROPER:

I. Introduction

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1. Rape and its presentation in the Philippines.

2. A quick view of the high profile rape cases in the Philippines.

3. Prelude to analysis.

II. Overview: Media Coverage on Jalosjos and Chiong Rape Slay Case

1. A review of the two stories.

2. Print media and its coverage.

3. News juxtapositions and public views.

III. Conceptual Analysis: Critical Discourse Analysis of Van Djik and Focault

1. Physical Presentations

♦ Headlines/ typography

♦ The leads

♦ Frequency of reports published

♦ News features and specials

♦ Presence of Pictures

♦ Page locations

2. Content and Textual Analysis

♦ Presentations/Framing

♦ Contextual Background

♦ Mechanical Accumulation of facts etc.

♦ Implications/Images portrayed

IV. Relational Analysis: Backdrop of the Problem; Rape and Sexual violence

♦ Rape and Sexual assault defined

♦ Issues, stories of rape

V. Ethical Dilemmas and its Effects

• Sensationalism
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• Conflict of Interest

• Sex and Violence

• Media Spectacle

• Showbizfication

VI. Media’s culpability explained and its dangers - Foreign and local studies

VII. Ethics on rape reporting

1. CMFR guidelines

2. Foreign media guidelines

3. Cross-checking

VIII. Why do the media resort to this?

The role of the press; review and explained

IX. Conclusion

X. Bibliography

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