“The study argues that media narratives are not neutral but deeply embedded in ideological frameworks that influence their treatment of gender-based violence. Conservative narratives obstruct progress toward gender equality by normalizing hegemonic masculinity and perpetuating rape myths, whereas leftist critiques highlight pathways for dismantling patriarchal structures. This contrast underscores the need for greater accountability in how media report on such cases and the potential for journalism to act as a tool for a transformative change.”

“Humans are narrative beings. One of the universal features of humanity is the narrativization and interpretation of reality. This is true from the broadest to the most intimate of human experiences. Cultures create common myths and stories that serve as fundamental references in the process of constructing meaning. At the same time, different social phenomena are transformed into discourses that gain a public dimension through the media. Violence is one of the subjects that humanity narrativizes and reproduces, both at the interpersonal and mediated communication levels.

The thesis is focusing on examining how men and women, whether as perpetrators or victims, are represented in media´s text as a form of crime news. The main goal of the study is to explore how patriarchal dynamics is being reconstructed and disseminated through the media as a cultural norm and how news media narratives might become a useful tool in the reproduction of gender-based inequalities in society.

This thesis, along with modern feminist theory and news media analysis methods, tries to reveal the hidden actions of the news media, which is a major cause of the persistence of gender inequality in society. A particular rape case that took place in France has been chosen as a case study to analyze the representation of this gender-based violence in three different French newspapers.

Revealing the hidden power structures and the ongoing efforts to create uncertainty around the subject and perpetrator makes the structural causes of violence visible and furthermore contributes as a positive effort to solve the problem.”

Keywords: Patriarchy, Gender Bias, Gender-Based Sexual Violence, French News Media, News Analysis