Characterisation of #MeToo in Spain. An approach through the analysis of the press and its impact on citizens

Abstract

This research consists of an analysis of the characterization of the #MeToo movement in Spain through the coverage of cases of sexual violence in the digital versions of El País and ABC. The chosen time window for the study is the period from October 15, 2017 to March 8, 2018. The research methodology we use is qualitative content analysis. For this, we use the chronological evolution of #MeToo as categories; the countries to which coverage is provided; actors; the sections; the tone and type of sexual violence that characterizes the news of the movement. Besides, we carried out a quantitative study through the Google Trends tool, which allows us to establish the impact of the #MeToo concept on the web. Among the main results, we highlight that most of the news on ABC and El País of #MeToo is about the United States and, specifically, Hollywood celebrities. The sections in which the information is included are 'People', 'Tribune' and 'Cinema'. Also, the media story about #MeToo focuses on sexual abuse and harassment. There are also coincidences between the coverage of #MeToo cases and their impact on the web. The media has not conceptualized sexual violence in its breadth. Hardly any stories about anonymous victims have been created. This coverage restricted to celebrities makes it difficult to describe violence from an intersectional perspective and accentuates the phenomenon of the black figure.