An analysis of a high-profile rape trial: the case of UK footballer Ched Evans

This article uses a month's worth of media coverage around the retrial for rape of Ched Evans, a Welsh footballer. Using guidelines published by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) for reporting on violence against women, 204 articles were analysed, and coverage was found, overall, to be victim blaming in its approach, and damaging in its representation of sexual violence. While previous research has highlighted this (see, for example, Soothill and Walby, 1991), this article contributes to the existing literature and knowledge in this area by examining the coverage of a high-profile case, theorised to have more of an impact and pervasiveness in the lives of women who have experienced sexual violence, and by using specific guidelines available to journalists for reporting on violence against women.