"According to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services between 2009 and 2013 at least 63,000 children a year were reported to have been victims of sexual abuse. Studies show two-thirds of victims under the age of 18 are between 12-17 years old. Females ages 16-19 are four times more likely to be victims of rape or sexual assault than the general population." RAINN Statistics (https://www.rainn.org/statistics/children-and-teens)
My goal is to look through episodes of "Teen Mom" and identify the ways in which the show can be seen to desensitize the public eye to teen pregnancy, teen rape and sexual assault. What ways does this show make it difficult for teens to recognize and feel comfortable to report incidents? I want to look at different comment threads to see how the public reacts to the show and see how it affects the stigma around both the mother and the father. I'm looking specifically for evidence of victimization and cover-up of sexual assault or violence.
