Abstract
This study aims to explore the potential of Message Framing approaches in child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention communication in South Africa through social media. It emphasizes the urgent need for innovative strategies due to the disconcerting global and local prevalence of CSA. Despite prior efforts, the persistent high incidence of CSA in South Africa necessitates continued research to influence behaviour change effectively. The research focuses on analysing Matla A Bana's (MAB) social media content, emphasizing the significance of message framing in CSA prevention campaigns.
Where it pertains to the methodology, an observational approach, the study conducts netnography on MAB's Facebook community over two years. Thematic and discourse analysis are used to understand how message framing influences audiences. Qualitative interpretivist methods, non-probability sampling, and theoretical sampling contribute to a nuanced understanding of stakeholder needs and cultural differences.
The study analyses 259 out of 648 CSA-related posts by MAB, identifying six message framing approaches. Negative attribute framing and loss framing are predominantly used. Themes like 'Stop the abuse' and 'If you get caught, you will be arrested' are recurrent, showing deliberate shifts in emphasis over time.
The findings show that MAB tailors messages to encourage sharing, showcasing adeptness in emotionally impactful posts. A strategic communication analysis highlights MAB's coordinated effort, shifting focus strategically and adopting segmented, goal-oriented messages.
As such, the study systematically progresses through contextual background, problem statement, research questions, methodology, and ethical considerations. It presents findings in discourse and thematic analysis, contributing valuable insights for enhancing CSA prevention communication in South Africa. Acknowledging study limitations, it draws lessons from MAB's strategies and proposes recommendations for future research.
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The research provides a comprehensive understanding of effective CSA prevention communication initiatives in South Africa, considering diverse framing approaches, audience engagement patterns, and a holistic, adaptable strategy.