The Helpless Daughter of India - American Media Representations of a Gendered Global South

The Delhi Gang Rape (DGR) of 2012 riveted the world. Though already a horrific crime, international media systems have perpetuated a distinct and harmful discourse regarding “Indian culture” in the aftermath of the DGR. Specifically, American media coverage of the incident has exemplified rape myths, demonized the Global South and distanced the American public from the presence of rape culture in the United States. Utilizing qualitative research methods, including feminist critical discourse analysis, I analyze multiple American news media’s portrayal of the DGR, from December 16, 2012, the night of the incident, to January 31, 2013, a time span that includes coverage of the emerging details of the DGR, and the ensuing protests. I found that coverage of the DGR served to emphasize traditional notions of a victimized Global South woman, while the failure to speak to American rape culture reinforced the perception that the West is the dominant force in protecting women of color from their male counterparts. I argue that the American media sensationalized the DGR, simultaneously magnifying Global South rape culture while minimizing parallel Western rape culture