How conservative media weaponized a story about a 10-year-old and abortion
In a matter of days, a case described in a news story in Indiana turned into a national flashpoint in the culture wars.
In a matter of days, a case described in a news story in Indiana turned into a national flashpoint in the culture wars.
An Indianapolis Star story included the case of a pregnant 10-year-old who traveled out of state for an abortion after she was sexually assaulted. The support for the report was the doctor who performed the procedure, quoted by name. The story quickly caught on in national media as an example of the need for accessible abortion care — and was just as quickly seized on by conservative media and Republican politicians who said the doctor’s words were not enough proof, questioning whether the story was even true, and that it was another example of agenda-driven coverage from mainstream news outlets.
10-year-old girl gets abortion in neighboring state after being rapedJuly 14, 202202:19The outrage churned for a week. Then, on Tuesday, an Ohio man was arrested and charged with the rape of a minor. But rather than putting the issue to rest, the revelation gave a further boost to what has become one of the first major news stories of the post-Roe era. It’s not expected to be the last.
“What makes this type of thing so engaging, I think, for conservative news consumers is that it puts all the focus on questioning the motives of liberal media and political figures,” Anthony Nadler, an associate professor of media and communication studies at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania, wrote in an email.
This obscures any focus on the actual victim’s experience or what her experience tells us about political choices about abortion rights.
Rating: 5