Risqué material found in newspaper more risky: Study

The IIMA study finds newspaper can do maximum damage to formative minds than other hazardous sources like internet or the television. Prof Dheeraj Sharma said that the study was conducted in June-July 2012. The first analysis of the study was conducted in August-September of the same year. “Initially, we were only interested in the exposure to risqué/vulgar material and attitude towards women. The study was later extended to attitude towards rape,” he said. As most instances of rape are on women, the study included only male respondents, he added.

A booklet was prepared in a magazine format comprising risqué-vulgar materials published in leading newspapers in the last 12 months. This was circulated among respondents for the study A survey was then conducted to rate the booklet containing newspaper clippings. “Result stated that 67% of the people said that the photos which were printed in the newspapers must be restricted for adults only (18). 76.5% people categorized the pictures printed to be vulgar and risqué. “In other words we could establish that the material contained in the newspapers is risqué and vulgar and inappropriate for indiscriminate exposure,” Sharma said.

Stating some of the measure needs to be taken, the professor said, “It may be important to have systematic interventions from the government to manage indiscriminate exposure to sexually implicit material. Several, interventions such as rape prevention programmes targeting men, and women education on security, stricter laws on objectification of women on mass media, and use of discretion in dissemination of risque and vulgar material, may be helpful in preventing instances of rape and improving attitude towards women,” he said.