Sara Mills’ Analysis of Middle Eastern Migrant Women’s Representation in BBC Arabic

Abstract

Gender-based violence against migrant women remains a critical issue during migration, while media play an important role in shaping public understanding of these experiences. This study examines the representation of Middle Eastern migrant women in BBC Arabic news using Sara Mills’ Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis. The study aims to identify the subject–object and author–reader positioning constructed in news discourse. The research focuses on one BBC Arabic news article entitled كل المهاجرين يدفعون مالا للمهرب، لكن يطلب من النساء دفع الثمن بالجنس. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed using documentation and close reading techniques. The data were analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that migrant women are predominantly positioned as objects of sexual exploitation, human trafficking, forced prostitution, and asylum-related bureaucratic barriers also show that migrant women are portrayed as individuals who strive to survive, seek protection, and share their own experiences. The news also prompts readers to understand their experiences and draws attention to the unequal power relations and gender-based violence that shape the migration process.