4.3 Investigating cases of sexual assault and domestic violence

Sexual assault and domestic violence reporting requires extreme sensitivity. Journalists must balance raising awareness with protecting survivors' privacy and well-being. Unique challenges include stigma, underreporting, and victim-blaming attitudes that discourage survivors from coming forward.

Responsible practices involve using trauma-informed interviewing techniques, avoiding graphic details, and centering survivors' voices. Reporters should investigate systemic issues, highlight prevention efforts, and provide resources. The goal is impactful storytelling that drives change without retraumatizing individuals.

Reporting on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

Unique Challenges and Sensitivities

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Top images from around the web for Unique Challenges and Sensitivities

• 

  How we're reporting our series on domestic violence - Mississippi Today View original

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• 

  With Tambourines in Hand and Led by Survivors, a Powerful Movement Against Sexual Violence in ... View original

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• 

  CNS: Paid leave for domestic violence survivors can help break the cycle of violence against women View original

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  How we're reporting our series on domestic violence - Mississippi Today View original

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  With Tambourines in Hand and Led by Survivors, a Powerful Movement Against Sexual Violence in ... View original

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• Sexual assault and domestic violence are highly personal and traumatic experiences that require special considerations when reporting to avoid retraumatizing survivors
  • Reporters must balance the need for public awareness with the privacy and well-being of individuals
• Survivors often face stigma, shame, and victim-blaming attitudes from society, leading many to be reluctant to come forward
  • Underreporting is common due to fear of not being believed, retaliation from perpetrators, or being ostracized by their community
• The legal system can present challenges, as cases often lack physical evidence or corroborating witnesses
  • Navigating issues of consent and the discrediting of victim testimony based on character or history requires sensitive treatment by journalists

Responsible Reporting Practices

• Graphic details of assaults are rarely necessary to report on cases
  • Reporters should focus on patterns, systemic issues, and holding institutions and perpetrators accountable rather than gratuitous accounts that can be triggering
• Terminology and framing of stories is critical
  • Use person-first language (survivor instead of victim)
  • Avoid sensationalizing or romanticizing violence
  • Provide context for statistics and cases to not perpetuate myths or stereotypes
• Center the voices and experiences of survivors while protecting their privacy and safety
  • Use pseudonyms or anonymity when requested
  • Avoid publishing identifying details that could put them at risk

Trauma-Informed Interviewing Techniques

Prioritizing Survivor Well-Being

• Trauma-informed interviewing prioritizes the safety, choice, and control of the survivor
  • Reporters should never pressure a survivor to share their story
  • Respect their decision to stop an interview at any time
• Interviews should take place in a private setting where the survivor feels comfortable
  • Build trust by being transparent about the purpose and scope of the story and how the survivor's account will be used
• Provide the survivor opportunities to take breaks as needed
  • Retelling a traumatic event can be emotionally and physically taxing
  • Prioritize the survivor's well-being over getting the story

Sensitive Questioning and Framing

• Avoid asking victim-blaming questions that focus on the survivor's actions, appearance, or history
  • Allow the survivor to share their experience in their own words without interrupting or editorializing
• Use open-ended questions that give the survivor control over what and how much they disclose
  • "Can you tell me what happened in your own words?"
  • "How has this experience impacted your life?"
• Connect the survivor with support services and resources for long-term healing
  • Include this information in coverage to help other survivors access help
  • Hotlines, counseling, legal advocacy, support groups

Societal Factors in Underreporting

Cultural Norms and Attitudes

• Patriarchal power structures and rigid gender norms that devalue women contribute to a culture that minimizes or justifies sexual assault and domestic violence
  • Male privilege, toxic masculinity, and female subordination are root causes that need to be examined
• Rape culture perpetuates myths that shift blame onto victims, excuse perpetrator actions, and create an environment where sexual violence is normalized and trivialized
  • "She was asking for it by wearing that"
  • "Boys will be boys"
  • Media representation often reinforces these damaging attitudes
• Cultural and religious beliefs about gender roles, sexual purity, family honor, and divorce can make it difficult for survivors to disclose abuse
  • Fears of bringing shame to the family or community keep many suffering in silence

Intersectional Barriers and Lack of Education

• Intersections of identity such as race, class, sexual orientation, and ability impact how survivors are treated by society and institutions
  • Marginalized groups face additional barriers to reporting and accessing support
  • Women of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, those with disabilities
• Lack of education on consent, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention allows abusive behaviors to go unchecked
  • Prevention efforts need to address the underlying attitudes and norms that perpetuate violence
  • Teach skills for respectful communication, conflict resolution, emotional regulation
• Failure of institutions like universities, workplaces, churches to prevent abuse and hold perpetrators accountable
  • Cover-ups, inadequate policies, and cultures of complicity enable abuse

Responsible Storytelling for Impact

Investigative and Solutions-Oriented Reporting

• Go beyond episodic coverage of high-profile cases to report on the systemic and societal factors that allow sexual assault and domestic violence to persist
  • Connect individual stories to larger patterns and data
  • Investigate the failures of institutions to prevent abuse and hold perpetrators accountable
    • Exposing cover-ups, inadequate policies, cultures of complicity can spur change
• Highlight prevention programs and community organizations working to end sexual assault and domestic violence
  • Bystander intervention training, healthy relationship education, policy reforms
• Follow up on cases beyond the criminal justice system to report on long-term impacts on survivors and communities
  • Cover the complexities of the healing process and resilience of survivors
  • Profile survivor activists and advocates working for change

Collaboration and Ethical Storytelling

• Collaborate with survivors and advocates to ensure accurate, nuanced stories that do not perpetuate myths or stereotypes
  • Build networks of expert sources who can provide context and analysis
  • Defer to survivors as the experts on their own experiences
• Provide resources and information about support services with every story
  • Hotlines, counseling, legal advocacy, support groups
  • Help survivors feel less alone and encourage others to seek help if needed
• Avoid publishing gratuitous, sensationalized details of assaults
  • Focus on patterns, impacts, and solutions rather than graphic descriptions
  • Respect the privacy and safety of survivors, use pseudonyms or anonymity when requested