Media framing of Violence Against Women and Girls in Egypt: a feminist critical discourse and framing analysis of news coverage (2020–2024)

This research critically examines the framing of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Egyptian mainstream news media between 2020 and 2024, focusing on how reporting practices shape public perceptions, reinforce or challenge gender norms, and influence societal responses to gender-based violence. The research aims to (1) examine how Egyptian news media frame VAWG incidents; (2) analyze discursive and linguistic patterns used to represent victims and perpetrators; and (3) evaluate whether reporting emphasizes individual incidents or systemic causes of gender-based violence. Drawing on a comprehensive sample of 1,191 news articles from four major Egyptian media outlets— Al-Ahram Gate , Al-Masry Al-Youm , Masrawy , and Sada El-Balad —alongside six in-depth interviews with media professionals, feminist activists, and legal experts, the study employs Media Framing Theory and Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis (FCDA) to analyze dominant reporting patterns. Findings indicate that although coverage of VAWG has increased, suggesting greater public awareness, reporting remains strongly shaped by patriarchal socio-cultural norms, often reproducing victim-blaming narratives, sensationalism, and episodic framing.