An Analysis of Animal Metaphors in Episodes of Gender Violence Reported in Spanish and Canadian Newspapers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24197/ersjes.44.2023.81-110Keywords:
gender violence, abused woman, male perpetrator, animal metaphors, Spanish and Canadian newspapersAbstract
This article explores animal metaphors in episodes of gender-based violence reported in Spanish and Canadian newspapers. It analyzes the most common zoomorphic representations of female victims in real cases of gender-based violence documented in the news in Spain and Canada from 2006 to 2022. The research shows how the bestial iconography articulates discourses of gender-based violence and how the male perpetrator sees the abused woman through an animal lens to dehumanize, sexualize, exert, and even justify his violent actions.
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