Somebody Save the Children!

Flipping through any newspaper, surfing any news channel or website, listening to any radio news update, I always hear about some crime or suspected crime committed against a child. That is then coupled with their parents’ grief and the community’s shock and horror that somebody would do such a thing to such an innocent little person. If it happens to be a visual medium, it will probably be accompanied by an adorable photo of said child. Since they are supposed to be the most innocent and vulnerable members of our ever heartless society, they are naturally a top choice for victim characterisation.

When a child is involved, a media frenzy will ensue. Unless something happens to top that, chances are it will be all you hear about for as long as there is something to squeeze out of the situation. Every single little aspect of the case will be scrutinised, to minute precision, or so it will seem. Smolej (2010) studied a bunch of episodes in a Finnish police drama and noticed that in the creation of child victims, it is never ever the fault of the child that whatever misfortune befell them. Instead, it will inevitably be put down to innocence and naivety on their part – not just plain stupidity as it often will be.

Take Keisha Abrahams. I am under the impression that it is not physically possible in the modern world not to at least know of the young girl that disappeared in Sydney’s west. Every aspect of an emotional drama is present in the press coverage of events. First, photos of the angelic face of Keisha is plastered everywhere. Curly blond hair, sweet smile and big eyes, and the very picture of cherubic innocence and cuteness, the pictures are a clear indication that she is an ideal, totally blameless victim. Then there is the highly emotive rendition of the experience of her mother and the community. With titles such as “I’ll Never Give Up on You Keisha”, the media not only tells you the anguish of the mother, but also the community who is constantly praying for her. This lets us regular people empathise with the situation. We are hit with this emotion and we feel like we are part of the tragic events. Then last, but certainly not least, is the constant barrage of drama of new developments in the case. Hunting for bodies in bags and human remains in bushes, it makes the case not just a tragic tale, but also a bit of a mystery thriller. The Keisha Abrahams story gives the perfect backdrop for a great story, all centred around a child victim.

More and more, victims are the focus of the media. That way you feel more connected with the story and get sucked right in. Add a bit of drama and you have the perfect concoction for an ideal media story, even if it doesn’t really hit the mark when it comes to the actual circumstances.

Klein, N., Bevan, E., Cuneo, C., 2010, ‘ New Twist in Hunt for Missing Kiesha Abrahams as Police Hunt Body in Bag’, Herald Sun, 7^th Sept, accessed 14^th Oct, http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/new-twist-in-hunt-for-missing-kiesha-abrahams-as-police-hunt-body-in-bag/story-e6frf7l6-1225915034033

Mullins, L., 2010, ‘I’ll Never Give up on you, Kiesha’, Mt Druitt St Marys Standard, 22^nd Sept, accessed 14^th Oct, http://mt-druitt-standard.whereilive.com.au/news/story/ill-never-give-up-on-you-kiesha/

 Smolej, M., 2010, ‘Constructing ideal victims? Violence narratives in Finnish crime-appeal programming’, Crime Media Culture, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 69-85

Tarasov, 2010, ‘Search for Human Remains in Bush’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6^th Sept, accessed 24^th Sept, http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/search-for-human-remains-in-bush-20100906-14wud.html?autostart=1