The glare of media is can be unavoidable for victims and survivors of crime. Whether it’s breaking news coverage of violence, inquiries for interviews for “crime trend” stories, or investigative “true crime” stories told years later, nothing is off limits for journalists and content creators, says the National Center for Victims of Crime, (NCVC) which acknowledges that" occasionally, victims and their advocates can harness media to create a positive impact."
The center says that too often, media coverage winds up retraumatizing survivors and victims’ loved ones instead of helping them. Victims are not characters in stories who exist to boost ratings; they’re people in various stages of trauma and healing journeys, says the center.
The center has published three guides on the issue.
Two are media guides to help content creators (journalists, podcasters, and documentarians) do their work ethically and in ways that minimize harm and to help survivors and victim advocates navigate media coverage. The third guide is a primer on how to consume so-called “true crime” content ethically.
The center got input from crime survivors and advocates who have experience dealing with media coverage, and from journalists.
Decades after traumatic events, victims, survivors, and family members are still affected, the center says.
Thoughtless content can harm them — no matter how long it’s been since the crime, says the center, adding that, "Unfortunately, much of the true crime content that’s available serves primarily to enrich 'creators' instead of providing closure to people actually affected by crime."
Comments