FRAMING OF HOUSE MAID’S VIOLENCE IN DAILY JANG AND DAILY DUNYA

Abstract

In the intricate tapestry of Pakistani societal narratives, this study critically examines the framing of violence against housemaids in Pakistani print media, highlighting how this issue is represented in newspapers. Violence against housemaids in Pakistan is an important on-going issue which is strongly connected with idea that how newspapers portray the issue. In society, newspapers play a crucial role in telling stories. They choose which information to include to help us understand what's happening (Entman, 1993; Goffman, 1974). Housemaids, predominantly from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, do important work in many homes. Sadly, they're often treated badly and they have to face verbal, physical, and sexual violence. It's important to see how newspapers talk about this (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2013; Siddiqui, 2018). This research employs content analysis guided by framing theory to evaluate how Daily Jang and Dunya News portray the reports. The analysis is conducted into two parts. In the first part, coding sheets were developed for the reports collected from the newspaper. In the second part, these coding sheets were used in a content analysis to identify the frames employed in the news reports mentioned in Daily Jang and Dunya News. According to framing theory, episodic framing highlights individual incidents, whereas thematic framing focuses on the collective societal understanding. The responsibility frame involves discussions regarding accountability for the violence, while the consequences frame explores the outcomes of such violence. The Human interest frame aims to highlight the personal and emotional aspects of the issue, while the morality frame engages with the ethical dimensions of the situation. This investigation delves into the discursive strategies employed by media outlets and aspires to unravel the mechanisms through which media frames violence and the emancipatory possibilities of conscientious storytelling. Upon applying content analysis, the findings reveal that the responsibility frame is the most commonly used frame in news reports, highlighting discussions around accountability for the violence. Through a critical content analysis, this research contributes to academic discourse, broader cultural understanding, encouraging reflection, challenging stereotypes and advocating for societal change.