Intersecting Silences: Qualitative Content Analysis of News Representations of Sexual Abuse Against Individuals with Disabilities in Türkiye

This study investigates how sexual abuse against persons with disabilities is represented in the Turkish news media between June 2024 and September 2025. Using the Interpress Media Analysis Report (2025), 209 news items covering 28 cases were purposively selected from national and local outlets. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to explore news frames, discursive patterns, and representational strategies. Coding was carried out by two researchers, achieving an intercoder reliability above 80%. The findings indicate that women and individuals with intellectual disabilities constitute the most frequently represented victims, while perpetrators are often individuals in positions of trust, such as caregivers or public employees. Despite the nationwide occurrence of incidents, 76% of the coverage appeared in local rather than national media, which suggests limited national visibility within our sample. The language used in many reports contained sensationalism, privacy violations, and gendered stereotypes, reproducing structural inequalities. Overall, the study highlights how the intersection of gender, disability, and media discourse reinforces the social marginalization of victims. It calls for rights-based journalism, ethical media guidelines, and accessible justice to ensure the visibility, dignity, and protection of persons with disabilities in Türkiye.