By Tara Haelle
When reporting on research about sexual assault and harassment, reporters may need to interview survivors of assault and abuse. Even if survivors’ stories are not part of the article, journalists must be sensitive to the language they use in their stories and what they should consider discussing — or leaving out.
This tip sheet from the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma outlines several recommendations for reporting on sexual violence, starting with the right preparation and approach:
- Brief yourself thoroughly on the likely impacts and causes of sexual violence.
- Get the language right. Rape or assault is not “sex.”
- Respect a potential interviewee’s right to say no.
- Ask yourself whether approaching someone risks compromising his or her safety and privacy.”
Each of those bullets is discussed in more detail on their page, which journalists should check out before beginning even a research-based story about sexual assault. The bulk of the Dart tip sheet focuses on the interview itself, which the Women’s Media Center also provides in their 10 tips for interviewing survivors of sexual violence. Here are the bullet points from the Dart’s list:
- Set good ground rules.
- The secret to good interviewing is active, non-judgmental listening.
- Don’t underestimate how your own reactions to traumatic detail can influence the conversation.
- Sexual violence is associated with high degrees of self-blame, guilt and shame; avoid any language that might imply the interviewee is responsible in some way.
- Don’t be surprised if accounts only make partial sense.
- Never say you know how they feel – you don’t.
- End the interview well.
- Make yourself available for contact after your report is published or broadcast.
Dart’s suggestions conclude with two key ideas to remember while writing the piece: again, pay attention to the language you use. Second, consider the impact the piece will likely have after publication. It’s impossible to predict all the possible consequences of a piece’s publication, but the sensitivity of this issue demands that journalists spend a little time speculating the possibilities and being prepared for them.
Their final tip is especially important if you’re including a survivor but not identifying them: “Re-check whether you risk compromising a source’s anonymity. In the final report, have you left clues that might inadvertently identify the individual? Job, age and location may allow for jigsaw identification. Faces or clothes may need to be obscured in photographs or film.”
The Dart Center’s comprehensive tip sheet is among the best out there, but several other organizations have excellent tip sheets as well for this topic.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center also provides a journalists’ tip sheet for reporting on sexual violence. It starts with recommending that reporters consult a wide range of different sources, including “law enforcement, community members, medical and mental health professionals, sexual violence prevention advocates, survivors, families and perpetrators.” They also provide some basic statistics about sexual violence and emphasize the need for reporters to go beyond reporting on the abusive acts themselves to discuss prevention efforts, consequences of sexual abuse and resources readers can access for more information.
The Columbia Journalism Review also provides guidance for journalists for reporting on sexual violence in “The right way to write about rape,” with tips culled from a panel. Their first tip is one of the best from all these resources: “Be honest that you are a journalist, and be honest about the angle of your article. ‘You can’t approach a victim and say, “I’m interested in your story,”’ and then write a sensationalizing headline that mischaracterizes what they tell you, says Garcia-Rojas. ‘You need to establish rapport.’”
Those who will be spending a lot of time reporting on sexual assault may want to check out this especially comprehensive guide from the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Other links to check out include the Dart Center’s tip sheet Covering Campus Rape and Sexual Assault, journalist-activist Jessica Valenti’s Rules for Journalists in writing about rape at The Nation, and Time’s article on the problems that exist in reportage on sexual assault.
