The blame game in a child abuse incident in Vietnamese online news media: A framing analysis

Abstract

This study examined the Vietnamese online news media discourse of a child abuse incident at a private autism center. Using framing analysis, the study found the news media frame the child abuse dominantly as a professional misconduct. The study detailed how the media’s blame was directed to the abusive staff and the uninformed parents, not institutional governance and policy loopholes. The study argued that the Vietnamese media focused on constructing ideologies of parental responsibilization and autonomous citizenship rather than state authorities’ accountability.