The research analyzes cases of domestic and family violence from clippings and comments made in my scrapbook after collection of different local newspaper articles between August 29, 2016 and September 30, 2016. The aim of the material and data from the articles is to provide insight into the role and image of media in the coverage of family and domestic violence cases. From the articles, the media portrays domestic violence in a biased manner in the community. Although it covers cases from both the high and low social caste, the primary aim of the reporters is neither to offer solutions nor information but to attract the highest readership. However, media coverage in few cases offer enough data, for example predisposing factors such as family history and drug abuse, which are useful in formulation of intervention strategies. The local media should improve coverage of domestic violence to include the average citizens.
The paper focuses on the entries of clippings and comments on the variety of stories about domestic and family violence from newspaper articles from August 29, 2016-September 30, 2016. Firstly, my scrapbook had 20 clippings. The clippings were all domestic and family violence in various regions and reported from different perspectives. Although the clips are related, the choice for each was dependent on the contribution to the overall picture of family and domestic violence.
Secondly, the scrapbook had 15 comments. Some of the articles chosen were elaborate enough and familiar to warrant no comment. Some needed short comments. The nature of observations varied based on personal preference and opinion and the nature of violence depicted. For example, the first clipping was an article about a shelter for male victims of domestic violence. The comment was simply “this is new.” Finally, men can give their opinions”. Moreover, similar articles that cover the same element such as domestic violence involving the use of a gun share a single comment on the scrapbook, if they appear in a sequence.
The appearance of the scrapbook was an essential part of the storytelling. Firstly, it each page has a date with an article or a comment on the type of violence. The positioning of the clippings varies on each page. Some excerpts appear on the edges while others are at the center depending on the length of the article and personal preference. After comparing the appearance of my scrapbook with that of other classmates, evidently, each person has a different approach. However, professionalism was a distinguishing factor for the different people in class. Some made comments that were biased and unprofessional while others were purely professional without any personal input. I decided to combine professionalism with personal comments, without bias.
The local media articles collected covered various family violence types including emotional abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner vehemence, and child abuse. Despite the variety of types of coverage, the local media had a significant bias in areas, such as gender representation with only one article about male victimization in the period of the scrapbook. Moreover, most of the violence incidences reported featured families of high social status, which begs the question of fairness in coverage and representation of the average citizen.
My local neighborhood has a variety of opinions about the family and domestic violence in the region. Firstly, the community condemns the police for slow response after disturbance reports in most neighborhoods. Secondly, most of the violence ends with physical abuse and the community members believe that police cash in on it thereby allowing the perpetrators to get away with it. Thirdly, social status features prominently in deciding the nature of media coverage in cases of domestic violence, with the higher stratus receiving more attention. Child related domestic and family violence incidences, for example, appear in the media for days with numerous follow-up reports. Finally, because the police receive most of the blame for the violent occurrences that involve the use of guns, many locals do not support the community policing initiatives aimed at preventing domestic abuse.
Course reading materials are relevant to the scrapbook articles and comments because they regulate and ensure professionalism in reporting. Moreover, the variety of ways taught on scrapbook presentation provides a choice for the collector. Furthermore, the material in the course reading provided directions on how to identify the main effect and causes of violence, make connections of the different clippings, and present a visual image that is easy to follow and make predictions on professionally.
The comments on most of the articles arise from the information submitted from the writers’ perspective. In several items, for example, the information does not present the details of how and what lead to the abuse but only the incidence. However, some articles provide in depth information on the cause, effect, and result of violence, which is helpful for an intervention. Regardless, the items, in general, are essential as tools of information that are useful for intervention. For example, they provide data bout the location of the incidence and the nature of violence, which are essential elements to know before planning for an intervention. Moreover, each article provides a particular perspective of the local community, which is necessary for supportive interventions such as community policing initiatives. However, the inability to corroborate the stories limits my capacity to intervene in the different situations depicted in the scrapbook.
The scrapbook exercise shades light into the ways in which local media portrays family violence. The most important aspects of domestic violence portrayed in the press focus on the need to increase viewership and readership as opposed to offering a workable solution. The perspective of the writers is not to primarily inform the community of the ills of family violence, but to focus on high-ranking society members. Unfortunately, the perspective is not instrumental to reduce the incidences or in inform the community on why family violence cases persist regardless of the interventions present. In few cases, however, the articles provide intelligence into essential predisposing factors such as family history, drug abuse, and economic problems that increase the rate of family and domestic violence. The local media needs to improve coverage of family and domestic violence to include the average citizens. If the local media covers the story of the average citizen, it will possibly increase the interest in the leadership and the police to work with the immediate community to initiate programs that will reduce the incidences.
