#MeToo in regional, rural and remote Australia: An analysis of regional newspapers reports profiling the movement

Abstract

The #MeToo movement sparked a global conversation and moment of reckoning in relation to sexual violence. The hashtag campaign, developed from a tweet sent by actress Alyssa Milano (though the phrase was originally coined by African American activist Tarana Burke some decade earlier), provided a moment for survivors to share their experiences in a context in which they were perhaps more likely to be supported and believed. The #MeToo movement also created an opportunity to engage in a more productive dialogue about the causes and the challenges underpinning the prevention of gender-based violence. Yet, #MeToo has been subject to substantive critique, particularly in relation to modes of representation within media reporting. In addition, there is also little is known about how the #MeToo movement was impactful beyond major urban centres and resonated in regional, rural, and remote (RRR) locations. This article addresses both these issues drawing on a thematic analysis of 70 newspaper articles from RRR newspapers in Australia reporting on or responding to the #MeToo movement. While the data reveals some progressive approaches to documenting how the #MeToo movement impacted some RRR communities, as well as profiling some of the key challenges facing RRR communities in addressing gender-based violence, the specific voices represented in newspaper reporting, continues to reflect the perspectives of white, heterosexual women. We conclude by suggesting further research exploring the nature of reporting on #MeToo in other RRR spaces is needed to understand the full extent to which sexual violence is understood and represented. In addition, more specific work with survivors in RRR Australia and globally is vital to understand the dynamics and complexities of responding to and preventing sexual violence and the challenges associated with the geographies of speaking out.

“The Risk to Reward for Being an Out Proud Survivor”: Reflections on the #MeToo Movement From Rural and Remote Australia

“…“Framing theory” suggests that the filtration of details and curation of language by journalists influences how readers perceive an event or issue (de Vreese, 2005). Australian media reports on #MeToo cases predominantly focused on the repercussions faced by the alleged perpetrator, rather than the impact on the female victims 2 (Hindes & Fileborn, 2020; Loney-Howes & Fileborn, 2020; Starkey et al, 2019). There was a distinct lack of victims’ voices; in some cases, this absence was due to a victim's disinclination to speak out publicly (Croggon, 2019; Starkey et al, 2019).…”

“…Language used by reporters reinforced the fallacy of the “ideal” or “deserving” victim. Reference to age; sexual history; substance use; and whether the victim acted “appropriately,” served to implicitly shift the blame onto the victim (Croggon, 2019; Hindes & Fileborn, 2020; Loney-Howes & Fileborn, 2020; Ryan, 2019; Starkey et al, 2019).…”

“…Just as global positioning may have altered victims’ experiences of #MeToo, Loney-Howes and Fileborn considered the influence of geographical variations within Australia. Following an analysis of regional, remote and rural newspapers profiling the movement, Loney-Howes and Fileborn (2020) highlighted the need for qualitative research to explore the experiences of victims residing outside of the urban centers.…”

“…Following Loney-Howes and Fileborn's (2020) media analysis in which they highlighted the paucity of data exploring regional, remote, and rural women's experiences of #MeToo, the present study sought to explore rurality as an intersectional factor that may influence a victim's capacity to speak publicly about their experience of sexual assault. Previous evidence indicated that rurality differs victim-survivors’ experiences of sexual violence to those in urban areas; thus, the author hypothesized that rurality might also affect rural and remote women's engagement with the #MeToo movement.…”