A difference of Fear of Crime in Digital Sexual Crime according to Media Reports Frame: A Mediation Effect of Perception of Crime

Abstract

This study tried to see if there are differences in the perception of digital sexual crime according to gender and media frame, and whether there was a difference in the fear of digital sexual crime accordingly. In this study, a survey was conducted on adults aged 20 or older, and a total of 160 (57 men and 103 women) participants were included in the final analysis. This study used a 2 (gender: male, female) x 2 (media frame: episodic, thematic) between-subjects design, and the participants were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions. They read a image reporting on digital sexual crime, and answered a set of questions. As a result of the study, there was no significant difference in the perception of digital sexual crime and fear of crime according to the media frame. The interaction effect of gender and media frame on perception and fear of digital sexual crime was also not significant. However, the effect of gender was found to be significant, and the evaluation of the perceived crime rate and the possibility of crime damage was found to mediate this. Finally, I discussed about the significance and limitations of this study.