An Analysis of Animal Metaphors in Episodes of Gender Violence Reported in Spanish and Canadian Newspapers

Abstract

This article explores animal metaphors in episodes of gender-based violence reported in Spanish and Canadian newspapers. It analyzes the most common zoomorphic representations of female victims in real cases of gender-based violence documented in the news in Spain and Canada from 2006 to 2022. The research shows how the bestial iconography articulates discourses of gender-based violence and how the male perpetrator sees the abused woman through an animal lens to dehumanize, sexualize, exert, and even justify his violent actions.