Practical Guidance

Before the interview

• Check if the journalist is reputable and works for a reputable media organisation.
  • How have they approached other victims and survivors and written other stories?
  • Can other victims and survivors vouch for them?
  • Ask to look at their other work.
• Develop a list of the key issues that you would like to talk about during the interview, and your key points for each issue.
• Practice answering questions with a support person. Talk about your exit strategy
• You might like to ask a friend or family member to come and get you or give you a call after an amount of time has passed. Or you may tell the journalist that you have another appointment.
• Organise to have a support person or advocate with you during any interview and meeting.
• You can choose the date, time, length and place of the interview and ask if you can see the questions. Journalists are not obligated to give questions ahead of time, and many journalists can’t give the questions as they may evolve throughout the interview.
• You should consider letting people who may be affected (including family and friends) know you are giving an interview.
• Consider seeking advice to understand the legal implications of what you may say. knowmore provides free legal advice and support to survivors of child sexual abuse. You can contact them on 1800 605 762.
• Tell the journalist how you would like to be described. Do you identify as a victim or a survivor, both, or neither?
• It’s a good idea to clarify what “off the record” means for you and the journalist, as it can mean several things:
  • Do you mean that what you said can’t be used at all?
  • Do you mean it can be used but don’t say that I said it?
  • Do you mean that the journalist can use the information to investigate further?

Be prepared before media interviews, you must be truly informed ... For the media, this is a story, for you it's a very traumatic lived experience, you have the right to protect yourself and your mental health. It's okay to say no to anything you don't feel comfortable with.

(Sonya Ryan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Carly Ryan Foundation)

During the interview

Below are some basic tips to help you make the most of your interview opportunity:

• Use pauses and take a deep breath to think about what you are going to say and take a break if you need to.
• Remember your key points, and your boundaries, and stick to them.
• If you find some of the questions difficult or emotional, you don’t need to answer. You can also ask the journalist to repeat or clarify the question.
• If you don’t know or can’t recall the answer to a question, don’t try to guess. You can provide additional information after the interview.
• Be prepared for interviewing techniques such as:
  • Multi-part questions: these can be confusing, so answer the parts you are comfortable with. You can also ask the journalist to repeat parts of the question.
  • Interruptions: you can continue with your answer even if the journalist tries to interrupt with another question.
  • Paraphrasing: you can correct a journalist if they’ve misrepresented anything you’ve said.o Silence: silence does not need to be filled and can sometimes be used by journalists as a technique to make someone continue to talk.

After the interview

• Ensure you are safe and have a support person with you.
• Ask when the story will be published or broadcast, noting this can be subject to change.
• When the story is published, you may have a range of reactions. Seek counselling or support if you need to.
• Arrange to do something nourishing for yourself on the day your story is released. Turn comments off on social media, be with friends, supporters or a professional network.
• Manage your expectations – a story may not turn out the way you want.
• You can seek a correction if there is incorrect information in the published story.

In going to the media, outcomes are not always smooth and predictable. You may not be able to control the entire passage of your story, but if you focus on what you can control, the path is always easier. Aside from locating a trusted counsellor, take care to let your closest friends and family know what you are going to do before you engage. Ease them into a conversation about their privacy and how you’ll navigate that. It is devastating to think you’ve done the right thing but that the cost has been to alienate those you love.

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