PERSEPSI PEMBACA TERHADAP PENGGUNAAN KATA RUDAPAKSA DALAM BERITA KEKERASAN SEKSUAL PADA TRIBUNNEWS

Abstract

This study aims to examine readers' perceptions of the use of the word "rudapaksa" (forced assault) in news reports about sexual violence published by the online media Tribunnews. The use of the term has sparked debate as it is considered a euphemism that may downplay the severity of rape. This research uses a quantitative approach with descriptive methods. Data was collected through questionnaires distributed to 130 respondents aged 25–34 years who read Tribunnews. The results show that readers' perceptions of the use of "rudapaksa" fall into the moderate category, with an average score of 3.34. This suggests that most readers neither strongly accept nor reject the term. The study also identified an anomaly, where a majority of female respondents actually support the use of the term, contradicting the common narrative that women are the most negatively affected by the euphemization of sexual violence. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how language use in media influences public perception.