Media Portrayal of High-Profile Female Victims of Sexual Harassment

This rhetorical study investigated how the Nigerian media portray high-profile female victims of sexual harassment. The research was undertaken in response to concerns that media narratives often reinforce gender stereotypes and influence public perceptions of victims. Focusing on the sexual harassment allegations made by senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate president Godswill Akpabio, the study analyzed newspaper coverage from Daily Trust and Vanguard between February and December 2025. Using Critical Discourse Analysis within the framework of Feminist Media Theory, the research examined how language and framing shaped the representation of the female accuser. The findings reveal that media coverage constructed the case through competing narratives of credibility versus doubt, innocence versus guilt, and oppression versus resistance. This study in general shows that media portrayals continue to reflect patriarchal discourses that influence how society interprets sexual harassment allegations involving high-profile women.