Article
Say THIS Not THAT. Resources for Journalists
Below are a list of great resources for journalists wanting to learn how to report on child sexual abuse in a ay which respects survivors, breaks the taboo, and promotes an environment in which child sexual abuse is prevented.
1. Journalist Guide for Reporting on Child Abuse (utah.gov)
This concise guide from the Utah dept. Human Services gives eight key things to avoid when reporting on child abuse, each with a suggestion of what to use instead. - Click here
2. Suggested Practices for Journalists Reporting on Child Abuse and Neglect (cdc.gov)
This guide by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control explains how journalists can impact prevention by expanding the focus of stories abuse or neglect of children to include information on cause and prevention. The checklist at the end is a great tool to use to review articles you've written. - Click here
3. Appropriate Terminology, Interpol
If you're unsure about what terminology to use, this simple table by Interpol lists key terms to use and avoid. - Click here
4. Case by Case: News coverage of child sexual abuse, 2007–2009, pgs. 17-19
For those looking for some in-depth analysis on existing styles of reporting, this qualitative study by Mejia et al. took a sample of US newspapers from 2007-2009 to study how child sexual abuse is covered in the news. The authors discuss their findings as well as providing recommendations for reporters based on their research. - Click here
5. Reporting on Sexual Violence: A Guide for Journalists (MCASA)
This thorough guide gives tips for language to use and avoid, as well as engaging with broader questions, such as why sexual violence happens, and who the perpetrators of sexual violence are. It also has a helpful guide for how to interview a survivor of sexual assault. - Click here
6. RAINN How does your state define consent?
Before reporting on any case or trend of sexual violence, it's important to get your facts straight. This handy resource allows you to look up consent laws in each state. - Click here