A forensic linguistics investigation of threat text messages addressed to gender-based violence (GBV) victims reported to the Namibian Police Force, Windhoek
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Date
2025-04-29
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Namibia University of Science and Technology
Abstract
Although police investigators and criminal detectives work diligently to identify perpetrators, they frequently encounter difficulties, especially when dealing with cases involving linguistic elements, thus they request forensic linguists to assist them in finding or minimising the culprits. Forensic linguistics is an investigative tool that allows linguists to study legal documents and spoken language to uncover motivations behind actions and identify culprits. This study investigated the threat text messages addressed to victims of gender-based violence (GBV) reported to the Namibian Police Force in Windhoek. The main objectives of this study were to examine the linguistic evidence, features, and choices within threat text messages, investigate the discourse structures of these threat messages, as well as describe the sociolinguistic profiles of the perpetrators of these threat messages. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and used a content checklist analysis to gather data, as well as Linguistic Variation theory to analyse the threatening messages. The results demonstrate a strong link between education, language use, and the propensity for violence, with youth more frequently using informal digital communication to issue threats. Through the identification of linguistic markers and sociolinguistic profiles, this research offers insights into the prevention of gender-based violence by informing law enforcement, legal professionals, and policymakers about the role of language in GBV-related threats and aiding in more effective threat assessment and intervention strategies.
Description
THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ENGLISH AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS
SUPERVISOR: PROF HAILELEUL ZELEKE WOLDEMARIAM
Keywords
Forensic linguistics, threat text message, gender-based violence, sociolinguistics profile, linguistic features, discourse structure, Namibia
Citation
Heita, R. M. (2025). A forensic linguistics investigation of threat text messages addressed to gender-based violence (GBV) victims reported to the Namibian Police Force, Windhoek [Master's thesis, Namibia University of Science and Technology].