Role of the media
in preventing sexual assault/abuse
Role of the media in preventing sexual assault/abuse
Reporting the facts
The media are the main information source concerning crime and sexual assault for the majority of the public.
By covering a range of events related to sexual assault, the media can help create greater understanding of what sexual assault is and why it is unacceptable. This approach fosters public attitudes of non-tolerance toward this type of violence.
Deconstructing the myths
Given all the information circulating about sexual assault, it can be complicated differentiating between myth and reality. Thus, considering the role played by the media in developing understanding of this problem, it is vital that the media convey information that is objective and free of prejudice.
Understanding a complex issue
Sexual assault is a complex, sensitive problem, and covering it in the media can entail a number of issues.For example, it may be difficult to differentiate between various sexual offences or to make sense of all the available statistics.
By presenting feature articles on the underlying causes as well as the individual and social consequences of sexual assault, the media can help the public to gain a better grasp of this problem. As a result, the public will be more likely to perceive sexual assault as a social problem rather than as a purely private matter.
Publicizing resources
By discussing assistance, the protection of victims, and available resources, the media prompt assault victims, people who have, or who fear having, sexually aggressive behaviour, and their family and friends to turn to aid resources.
By talking about resources, the media break down the myth that sexual assault is an individual problem that should be managed solely by the people concerned, namely, the victims, their family and friends, and the perpetrators. The media can thus contribute to reducing the perceptions among victims and perpetrators of being alone and unable to find help.
Impacts of media coverage of sexual abuse/assault
With the advent of social media, reporters and the news media are no longer the only ones to publish or broadcast information. Now, anyone who is called on to speak out about sexual assault can contribute to society’s understanding of this phenomenon.
The news media are called on to report on sexual assault in their daily coverage.
Media coverage of crimes, including sexual assault, has an impact on the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours of the public regarding these phenomena.
It is a known fact that beliefs and attitudes supportive of sexual assault play a major role in the existence of this phenomenon and society’s response to it.
For that reason, the media have a part to play in the prevention of sexual assault.
According to expert consensus, the prevention of violence and sexual assault requires taking action regarding social norms, and the media have a part to play in shaping these norms.
Information that is published or broadcast constitutes one of the major channels of influence on social norms regarding sexual assault.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), initiatives focused on transforming social norms supportive of sexual violence are a vital component of strategies aimed at preventing this type of violence.
Social norms and sexual assault
Social and cultural norms refer to the rules and expected behaviours occurring within a social group. They define what is acceptable or unacceptable concerning a given phenomenon, such as sexual assault; they also influence society’s perception of the phenomenon as well as the way society responds to it. From that perspective, social norms supportive of sexual assault and gender inequality, along with a society’s acceptance of myths and biases surrounding sexual assault, constitute social conditions that are conducive to sexual assault.
It is difficult to clearly assess the impacts of media coverage of sexual assault on the general public and society.
However, a certain type of coverage of violence and sexual assault in the media could have various negative impacts such as:
Fostering a biased perception of the risks of violence and sexual assault.
For example: the fear that one’s child could be the victim of sexual abuse by a stranger, given that such cases are widely reported in the media.
However, the great majority of instances of sexual abuse are committed by a person known to the child.
Spreading myths about sexual assault throughout society.
These may influence: the perpetration of sexual assault, the reaction of, and consequences for, victims of sexual assault, the reaction of the family and friends of victims.
For example: repeated scepticism in the media concerning victims’ allegations of sexual assault could lead the public to believe that several alleged victims have deliberately fabricated stories about their situation, whereas false allegations of sexual assault occur only rarely. This misconception can prompt many victims to remain silent, out of a fear they will not be believed. It could also prompt a victim’s family and friends to doubt his or her allegations.
Providing a rationale for laws and crime policies that are based on a mistaken identification of the causes of the crime and that, for this reason, will prove ineffective in efforts to prevent sexual assault.
For example: the rationale for some laws and policies would appear to be an outgrowth of how the media “personalize” the sexual assault phenomenon to a very great extent; this trend can be observed in public claims for harsher sentences for convicted sex offenders, whereas sexual assault also derives from causes of a community or societal nature.
Several experts have argued that media coverage of sexual assault may have repercussions – positive or negative – on victims:
Greater news coverage of sexual assault could be a factor that prompts victims to report offences to the police.
In contrast, some journalism practices may cause a decrease in the reporting of offences by victims, who fear that their personal story will be disclosed in detail or will open them up to blame, criticism, etc.
Media coverage of judicial proceedings pertaining to sexual assault: impacts on victims
The various impacts – some positive, others negative – of media coverage of trials for sexual assault highlight the importance of how cases are handled in the media.
