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Empowerment

Key Principle: Consider your story's impact
 

Victims and survivors everywhere can be empowered or retraumatised when stories of child sexual abuse are told through the media. Media have an important responsibility to do no further harm. Be respectful during the process, choose language and images carefully, and include details of relevant support services wherever possible.

  • Try to include the victim and survivor’s story, voice and perspective in your reporting. Media reporting is vital to bring awareness, challenge taboos, increase public understanding of child sexual abuse and drive social, policy and legal change. It can also encourage other survivors to tell their story. 
  • How a story is framed and who is quoted can have a positive or negative impact on victims and survivors, and the wider community. If done poorly, it can perpetuate harmful and inaccurate perceptions of child sexual abuse. 
  • Victims and survivors who are reading, watching or listening to your story will be impacted so the inclusion of support services is crucial. Individuals may also reach out to you directly with their story, which can be overwhelming, but is also an opportunity to provide details of support services directly to them, in an automatic message or by other means. 
  • Sharing a preview of the story and allowing victims and survivors to have a say in the choice of the images used will ensure that they are empowered in the telling of their story. All efforts should be taken to not retraumatise with language and images.
  • Add a content warning to stories.
  • Provide tailored support services when reporting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, LGBTQIA+, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and different age groups (e.g., children, young people, older people).

"The currency of offenders is silence – we need to strip that currency dry."

(Alison Quigley, Doctoral Candidate in Law and advocate for victims and survivors in sport)

What is vicarious trauma?

Vicarious trauma is generally regarded as a reaction to ongoing, cumulative engagement with survivors of trauma. But everyone reacts differently, and journalists can develop vicarious trauma from even one interaction with a victim and survivor.

“Vicarious trauma refers to psychological changes resulting from cumulative, empathetic engagement with trauma survivors in a professional context.”

Thompson, I. (2021). The Dart Center Style Guide for Trauma-Informed Journalism.

What is complex trauma?

Complex trauma usually occurs as a result of repeated ongoing interpersonal trauma experienced by a child, young person, or an adult, or across the lifespan, occurring at different ages and stages. Complex trauma can affect victims and survivors in countless ways and each experience will be different. 

Because people with complex trauma experiences have often been betrayed and often struggle to be and feel safe, developing a trusting relationship can take a long time. People can and do heal from the impacts of complex trauma but this process may not be linear.

Blue Knot Foundation.

Table of contents

Reporting on Child Sexual Abuse

If you or a child are in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000).

Information on reporting child safety concerns can be found on our Make a report page.

Get support

The information on this website may bring up strong feelings and questions for many people. There are many services available to assist you. A detailed list of support services is available on our Get support page.

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