‘65 year old man rapes, impregnates own teenage daughter’: Rape Representation in Two Nigeria Newspapers Oludayo Tade Collins Udechukwu Department of Sociology University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Abstract Rape of females in Nigeria has reached a disturbing proportion. While the media has played a major role in creating awareness about rape, their representations of rape are crucial in determining post-rape responses. This study, therefore investigates newspaper coverage and representations of rape in two select newspapers in Nigeria (2012-2016). It utilizes two national dailies (The Punch and The Sun) with dedicated crime pages to understand the frequency of reportage, factors underlying low or non-reportage of rape by victims, and the dominant frame used in reporting rape. Findings show that 331 cases of rape were reported within the period with southwestern part of the country recording largest occurrence. Low or non-reporting behavior of rape by victims was affected by fear of stigma, fear of the rapist due to threats, religious sentiments, family interventions, and inability to access the media. The dominant frame utilized in reporting rape was human interest frame. The paper recommends diagnostic and prognostic frames to attract informed policies and give justice to the raped. Introduction Unlawful carnal knowledge against girls and women has become a recurring social problem in Nigeria. Rape which implies sexual knowledge without the consent of the female is now ubiquitous across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. Its occurrence has attracted empirical investigation by scholars who have probed into the failures of laws to protect females from rape in Nigeria (Onyejwe, 2008). Akinade et al. (2010) examined the social and legal factors influencing rape perpetration and the possible characteristics of actors. Daru et al. (2011) conducted a clinical study on improving the care of the victims of rape. They were concerned with the possible implications of contracting HIV/AIDS as outcomes of rape for victims. Chika’s (2011) was interested in marital rape unveiling the institutional blockage towards enjoying reproductive rights among Nigerian married women. Buba (2015) conceptualized rape as an instrument of war focusing on how rape is deployed as a strategy by Bokoharam terrorists. While these studies are unique in their design and focus, they however did not examine rape representations in the media. Traditional media in Nigeria play pivotal role in directing attention to criminal behaviours such as rape. By doing this, the media contributes to policing by inviting formal and informal responses to the reported incidence. Media coverage of rape creates awareness; The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology (NASA), 2018. Vol 16 (2): 33-48 http://nasajournal.com.ng/volume-16-issue-2-2018/