DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE SERBIAN DAILY PRESS: FROM FACTS TO SENSATIONALISM

Abstract

Five years ago, Serbia adopted the National Strategy for the empowerment of women and promotion of gender equality, as well as the Action Plan for its implementation (2010-2015) in order to reduce domestic violence. If we look at this major social problem from the media content point of view, the conclusion is that an unprofessional journalistic text may increase the damage that the victim of violence has already experienced. This paper analyzes the reporting on domestic violence in the Serbian daily press. The aim is to determine the daily newspapers’ relation to this problem; whether there are differences in the approach to this issue, depending on the nature of the press (tabloid and the so-called "serious" press). The research is based on the content analysis of three newspapers: Politika, Blic and Kurir. The research timeframe is limited to seven days in two periods, randomly selected: from December 3 to 9, 2012, as well as from June 27 to July 3, 2013. The results will show the frequency and amount of space allocated to the issue in the analyzed newspapers, and a content analysis will determine the way this issue was reported on.

Key words:   printing, domestic violence, crime, sensationalism, prevention.