In the aftermath of the #MeToo movement, an era defined by heightened awareness and public discourse surrounding sexual violence, one might assume that news coverage on this critical social issue would have significantly evolved. However, recent research conducted by scholars at McGill University presents a more complex and less optimistic picture. Their thematic literature review of media reporting on sexual violence uncovers persistent challenges and highlights ongoing harms perpetuated by journalistic practices, indicating that the path toward ethical and trauma-informed reporting remains fraught with obstacles.
This comprehensive review, published in the Journal of Communication Inquiry, analyzed 41 peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2023, focusing specifically on news media in the Global North. By scrutinizing changes in reporting patterns following the surge of the #MeToo movement in 2017, the researchers aimed to assess whether greater societal consciousness had translated into improved journalistic standards. Their findings reveal that despite progress in awareness, many entrenched issues continue to plague news coverage, thereby complicating survivors’ experiences and societal understanding of sexual violence.
Central to the study’s critique is the way journalistic language and framing often fail to capture the complexities of sexual violence cases. The researchers observed frequent use of passive voice constructions, which implicitly obscure the perpetrator’s agency and responsibility while highlighting the victim’s vulnerability. This linguistic choice not only diminishes accountability but also subtly fosters victim blaming, perpetuating harmful narratives that survivors must continually navigate. Such framing undermines the media’s potential role as a platform for justice and social change, instead reinforcing damaging stereotypes.
Moreover, the review identified a pronounced bias in the demographic representation of survivors featured in news stories. Coverage disproportionately centers on white, cisgender, heterosexual women, neglecting to adequately represent survivors from marginalized racial, ethnic, and gender identities. This selective visibility serves to obscure the critical roles that racism, colonialism, and systemic oppression play in shaping sexual violence experiences. By failing to address these interconnected social determinants, news media contribute to a narrower and less inclusive public discourse, limiting societal understanding and the scope of advocacy efforts.
In addition to media content, the researchers examined journalists’ working environments and professional practices. They found a startling deficit in formal training and education regarding the ethical and trauma-informed reporting of sexual violence. Despite the delicate nature of such coverage, many journalists operate without comprehensive guidance or institutional support, thereby increasing the risk of unintentional harm through insensitive reporting. The study underscores the necessity of integrating specialized education and fostering supportive newsroom cultures to empower journalists in tackling these complex stories responsibly.
The implications of these findings extend beyond journalism itself. Scholars emphasize that those researching sexual violence must also contextualize their work within the broader media ecosystem, recognizing that journalistic outputs are shaped by systemic and structural factors such as newsroom norms, resource limitations, and editorial pressures. Such an approach challenges narrow expectations placed solely on individual journalists and calls for a more holistic understanding of the media’s role in representing sexual violence issues ethically and effectively.
Karen Andrews, a co-author of the paper and former master’s student at McGill’s Department of Integrated Studies in Education, articulates the persistent difficulties faced by newsrooms. According to Andrews, the continuation of problematic portrayals in post-#MeToo media landscapes signals that increased public awareness alone is insufficient to transform journalistic culture. Rather, deliberate changes in both practice and institutional infrastructures are crucial to fostering nuanced and survivor-centered narratives.
Her colleague Safeera Jaffer, also a former McGill master’s student and research assistant on the project, emphasizes that without practical measures—such as mandatory training, ethical guidelines tailored to sexual violence coverage, and supportive newsroom environments—journalists risk perpetuating the very harms that heightened awareness seeks to remedy. Jaffer’s insights illuminate a gap between the aspirational goals of ethical reporting and the operational realities that reporters face daily.
The study further highlights the problematic tendency for news outlets to focus on isolated incidents without adequately interrogating the broader societal and systemic causes that underlie sexual violence. This episodic framing diminishes the understanding of sexual violence as a pervasive and structural issue, diverting attention from root causes such as power imbalances, social inequalities, and institutional complicity. By neglecting these dimensions, media coverage can inadvertently reinforce the status quo and impede efforts toward comprehensive policy reforms and cultural shift.
Additionally, the review draws attention to the ways in which journalistic priorities—such as brevity, sensationalism, or audience appeal—can conflict with the ethical imperatives of reporting on trauma-sensitive subjects. The competitive nature of news media, combined with limited resources and competing deadlines, may pressure journalists into simplifying stories or prioritizing certain angles that attract viewership over accuracy and sensitivity. Such systemic pressures necessitate institutional reforms that reconcile commercial demands with ethical journalism standards.
The findings of this literature review also reflect the pressing need for intersectional approaches when addressing media coverage of sexual violence. Incorporating diverse survivor perspectives and acknowledging the compounded impacts of intersecting forms of marginalization are essential for developing reporting frameworks that are both inclusive and reflective of lived realities. Moving forward, journalism schools, media organizations, and advocacy groups must collaborate to embed intersectionality at the core of training and editorial policies.
Finally, this research contributes to a growing recognition that media advocacy must be part of broader social change initiatives aimed at combating sexual violence. By improving news reporting practices, media can play a pivotal role in challenging stigma, promoting understanding, and mobilizing public support for survivor-centered policies and services. The study’s authors advocate for sustained multi-sectoral collaboration, emphasizing that meaningful transformation requires active engagement from journalists, academics, policymakers, and community stakeholders alike.
In conclusion, the McGill researchers’ thematic literature review exposes the enduring challenges facing media reporting on sexual violence in the post-#MeToo context. It calls for intentional, informed, and systemic interventions to redress harmful journalistic patterns and to foster ethical storytelling that respects survivors’ experiences while educating the public. As sexual violence continues to be a pervasive societal problem, responsible media coverage remains both a vital and delicate endeavor—one that demands vigilance, expertise, and a commitment to justice at every level of news production.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Powerful yet Disempowered: A Thematic Literature Review Exploring the Challenges of Media Reporting on Sexual Violence
News Publication Date: 11-Jun-2025
Web References:
- iMPACTS project
- DOI link
References: Karen Andrews, Safeera Jaffer, Shaheen Shariff. “Powerful yet Disempowered: A Thematic Literature Review Exploring the Challenges of Media Reporting on Sexual Violence.” Journal of Communication Inquiry, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1177/01968599251348248
Keywords: Social sciences
