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Abstract: 

Powerful frames shape the way we think about sexual violence. These frames channel public debate and policymaking in ever more dysfunctional directions. If we want to get sexual violence policy back on track, we need to change the frames that determine the policy outcomes. According to framing theory, frames are “abstract structures that serve to organize or structure social meanings.” (ValueBased- Management.net, “Framing Explained,” available at http://www.ValueBased- Management.net/methods_tversky_framing. html (last visited Jun. 8, 2007).) In his best-selling book, Don’t Think of an Elephant, Stanford linguistics professor George Lakoff explores the power of frames in the broader political sphere. Powerful metaphors, he argues, frame debatesand push answers in particular directions.

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Affiliations:  1: William Mitchell College of Law.