RT Article
T1 Australian news media portrayals of filicide: depictions of mental health and the flawed mother trope
JF Crime, law and social change
VO 82
IS 3
SP 563
OP 588
A1 Simington, Amie Louise
A2 Farmer, Clare
LA English
YR 2024
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1906623775
AB In reporting cases of filicide, the news media often relies on dominant cultural discourses that situate offenders within expected gender roles. This stereotypical framing can influence public perception of offenders and amplify outdated gendered expectations. This paper examines the portrayal of male and female filicide offenders, with a focus on depictions of mental health and the ‘flawed mother’ trope. The study drew from a sample of 103 Australian news media articles published between 2004 and 2021. Qualitative media analysis was used to examine tone and content, and to explore the gendered cultural lens through which offenders can be portrayed. The study addresses a gap in the literature by focusing on filicide and news media in Australia. The findings largely confirm that news media coverage of filicide perpetuates key cultural norms and gendered expectations of parenthood. The ‘flawed mother’ narrative, depictions of mental health issues, and a focus on parenthood were prevalent for female offenders. For male offenders there was general disconnect with their role as a parent. The findings provide a valuable insight into differential news media coverage of male and female parents who kill their children.
NO Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 584-588
K1 Filicide
K1 Maternal
K1 Paternal
K1 Media framing
K1 Flawed mother
K1 Mental Health
DO 10.1007/s10611-024-10158-6