The nature of reporting means most journalists are exposed to some kind of traumatic event while on the job.
In the summer of 2025, several reporters were hurt while covering ICE protests across the country — including a reporter shot with rubber bullets while on air. Others were tear-gassed and pepper-bombed right alongside protestors. In some cases, reporters said they felt they were the targets.
And when covering health and firearm violence, a reporter is often put in risky situations. It also means a reporter’s audience might come to their coverage to learn how to keep themselves and their families safe.
Below are some handy tips for reporters based on my personal experience covering firearm violence. Reporters on the public safety and health beat can use this guidance to help them and their audience stay safe.
Keeping your audience safe and informed
- Use numbers to show how rare or common a risk is, and explain who is at risk and who is most at risk. For example, when covering violence in a city, pinpoint which part of the city suffers from the most violence. It’s frequently the case that the majority of a city’s violent crime is concentrated in a small area. For the people living in those areas, explain who is most at risk of being victimized.
- If you’re covering an active shooter situation or its immediate aftermath, urge your audience to avoid the area. For those living nearby, remind them to take shelter and encourage them to contact law enforcement. Provide regular updates from law enforcement on when it’s safe to return or move around the area.
Threats to journalists’ safety and wellbeing
- The majority of journalists are exposed to traumatic events in their line of work, according to the Dart Center. Exposure can mean learning about a traumatic event secondhand or witnessing it firsthand.
- The Dart Center says some of the most common events journalists can be exposed to include car crashes, fires, murders, wars and natural disasters. Journalists also frequently have to view traumatic content, like violent graphics and video footage.
- The violence can also be directed toward journalists, such as through violence, verbal or physical intimidation and verbal or physical harassment. Hundreds of journalists are detained worldwide, according to the Dart Center. Female reporters also experience physical and sexual violence on the job.
- Despite the exposure to violence and threats to their safety, journalists exhibit a lot of resilience, according to the Dart Center. The industry sees relatively low rates of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. However, Dart reports that a “significant minority” are at risk for long-term psychological issues like PTSD.
Tips for staying safe
- If you’re covering a crime scene, do not go in unprepared or unaware of the area. When I’m sent to a crime scene, these are some of the practices I use:
- Make a safety assessment ahead of time, ideally with your editor. What are the risks? Is it worth it for the story? If it feels too risky, consider other ways of covering a crime scene, such as calling neighbors, reading police reports, and checking social media for witnesses.
- Always go during the day and try to go with a partner, whether it’s a photographer or another reporter.
- If it’s an active or recently active crime scene, stay near law enforcement or other reporters on the scene.
- Always be prepared to leave fast and trust your instincts and your colleagues’.
- Stay in regular contact with an editor. Make sure they know where you are, when you get there and when you leave.
- Protect any vulnerable sources while covering a shooting crime scene, such as witnesses or the loved ones of the people involved in the shooting.
- Look out for yourself during and after a tough assignment:
- Self-care is an emotional, physical and mental exercise. Do little and big things that make you happy or at least make you feel normal. And please, get a good night’s sleep!
- Learn how to tell when you’re burned out. Tell your manager and figure out what helps you recover. Is it time off? Is it taking a walk? Is it getting professional help? Taking a deep breath? Calling your best friend?
- Finding a therapist that works for you is easier said than done. Don’t be afraid to shop around for someone you like. Look into your workplace’s resources. The Journalist Trauma Support Network trains therapists to specifically help journalists. Look through their directory here.
For managers
The Dart Center has a great guide for managers to keep their reporters safe in the field. Here are some highlights:
- Ensure everyone in the newsroom has some level of trauma awareness. That includes understanding the physical and psychological risks of trauma exposure and having a plan for how your newsroom handles those risks.
- Check in with your reporters regularly. Make sure to emphasize the value of self-care practices, like healthy eating, exercise and sleep. And encourage them to share when they feel distressed and avoid hiding it.
- If a reporter becomes distressed by the work, rotate them away from the topic for a time. Remind them that time away from an intense subject can help and can lead to stronger reporting later on.
- Acknowledge their efforts often, encourage them to take time off and seek help — whether it’s from their friends and families or a professional.
