Trust
Key Principle: Trust is the basis for good reporting on child sexual abuse
Victims and survivors may have experienced profound trauma and should be treated with compassion and empathy. Understand that victims and survivors may have been silenced, ignored or not believed, and may continue to feel this way. For some, a power imbalance or betrayal of trust is part of their experience of abuse, and it is important their interaction with the media does not replicate this experience.
Always remember that it is the victim and survivor’s story to tell.
- It is important to manage expectations of victims and survivors; avoid making unrealistic promises regarding publishing or broadcasting the story.
- Try to actively engage the victim and survivor in decision-making throughout the reporting process – from the first approach through to any interviews, photography, meetings and writing.
- Building trust can include being transparent and upfront about:
- what is in and outside your control.
- your purpose and story angle, and where and when it will be published.
- the length and type of the story.
- the editorial and fact-checking process.
- It can be retraumatising for victims and survivors if agreed terms change mid-process and trust can be easily lost. Keep victims and survivors fully informed at all stages.
- The impact of trauma can make hard deadlines difficult for victims and survivors, so incorporate flexibility into these discussions.
- Victims and survivors may want to see a story or quotes before publication. This can ease anxiety and produce a better outcome for all.
- Explain to victims and survivors that they have agency at the start of the process, but at some stage their story will become part of the editorial process. Once released into the public domain, control of the story can be lost.
What is trauma?
Trauma is the psychological, physical, social, emotional, cultural and/or spiritual harm caused by exposure to an event, or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening.
It impacts an individual’s sense of self, safety, social connection and ways of coping. For this purpose, ‘trauma’ can be defined both in terms of an event/s causing harm, and the harm that exposure to that event/s causes. (Paton, A., et al. (2023). Minimum Practice Standards: Specialist and Community Support Services Responding to Child Sexual Abuse. Canberra: National Office for Child Safety (Paton, A., Parsons, V., Pitts, C., Adamson, K., Bromfeld, L., Horch, G., Herbert, J., Hovane, V., and O’Leary, P. (2023))
What is trauma-informed practice?
Trauma-informed practice is framed within several core principles: safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment and respect for diversity. Based on the foundational principle of ‘Do No Harm’,
it is a practice that everyone can adopt, rather than a form of ‘treatment’.
Putting these principles into action for journalists, trauma-informed practice:
- Understands how stress and trauma can affect the brain and the body, and that ‘symptoms’ can be a way of coping.
- Considers what has happened to the person (not what is ‘wrong’ with the person).
- Is sensitive to the victim and survivor's experience when conducting the reporting process.
- Collaborates with the victim and survivor as an expert in their own experience.
Based on Blue Knot Foundation: Becoming Trauma Informed – Services.