Abstract

This paper examined the framing pattern of child defilement cases by selected Nigerian newspapers. The objective was to know the frames employed by the selected newspapers in reporting the menace of child defilement. Content analysis was the research method employed and three national and three local newspapers (The Nigerian Tribune, The Punch and The Vanguard, Osun Defender, PM News and Hope Newspaper) published in 2022 were purposively selected. Four month editions (February, April, July and November) were randomly selected. In total, 714 editions 102 news items were analysed across the six selected newspapers. The unit of analysis (frames) upon which this study was premised were; Attribution of responsibility, Conflict, Human interest, Economic consequence and Morality. Findings revealed that majority of the stories, 62 representing (60.8%) out of 102 stories framed child defilement stories along the attribution of responsibility line. 14 stories representing (13.7%) were framed along the morality line. 13 stories representing (12.8%) were framed towards conflict frame. 8 stories representing (7.8%) were framed towards human interest angle while the least represented frame is the economic consequence frame which has 5 representing (4.9%) stories. This paper concluded that Nigerian newspapers majorly framed child defilement as an assault that someone should be held responsible for and child defilement is as a result of moral decadence in society. The paper recommends Thematic framing pattern which takes holistic view of child defilement cases as a societal problem focusing on causes and solutions instead of Episodic framing which places the spate of occurrence as individual or stand alone.