Why Journalists Should #ReportToo

Samantha Morsink
sm362415@ohio.edu

Women and sexual violence have been a growing topic in recent conversations. In the media specifically, women speaking out has created conversations about women's rights and the way men in power have treated them that have previously been brushed under the rug. Many journalists have struggled to cover this topic because it is such a controversial topic that has caused many heated conversations with news outlets and people of power. While all stories call for legitimate concerns and should be treated as such, with the number of stories that are now coming out, it is always possible that there could be the occasional story that doesn't always end up being the way that it seems.

For journalists, it is their job to report news and report the truth. This can be difficult when it is a case of "he said she said." On one end, it is important to help these victims and share news that is valuable to this movement and the women who are being affected. On the other side, journalists also have to be careful not to wrongly accuse anyone of something they may not have done. So how do journalists rightfully report on these issues?

Photo retrieved from:
 https://dribbble.com/shots/2078723-Stand-For-Something-Strong-or-Stand-Strong

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center has a tip sheet for how journalists can report correctly on these sensitive topics. This talks about how understanding who these victims are and having data about the background of sexual violence cases can help journalists to better report on these issues. This article also talks about how interviewing multiple subjects and reporting on a broad spectrum of situations and scenarios can help other victims feel like they have a place to tell their story. I think this is important because many of the victims who are reporting their #MeToo stories are celebrities and while their stories are important, this can sometimes discourage the "ordinary person" into feeling like they aren't important enough to talk about their own situations.



Despite the risk of the occasional false story, journalists reporting on these issues has benefits that far outweigh any potential negatives. The power of the media is extreme, and how these stories are published and what is being said has created a wave of women empowerment. Many who have been victims of sexual assault have been able to gather the courage to tell their story because of the influence they felt when they saw other's stories coming out and being told. Feeling like they are not alone and seeing other women being able to speak up and being defended and supported by the media has allowed many other women to stand up as well. Sexual violence has not dramatically increased in recent years. Many cases of women being victimized were happening before this movement, but because of the media's failure to track these stories and report on the silencing of these women, it was uncommon that women would come forward with their stories because they were often shamed or not believed, some even lost their jobs. The media coming forward and addressing this problem has led to women feeling that they may now have a chance to tell their story and actually be heard.

Unfortunately, not all journalists are being praised for reporting on these kinds of stories. Rana Ayyub, who is an investigative journalist and columnist from India, is one prime example of how reporting on these stories can put journalists at risk for backlash. In an article from Global Editors Network, it is discussed how the power of social media can amplify the backlash for some women in rural, international regions, but it also allows women to stand together and support each other. This support and rallying together is what allows women and men to report on and tell these stories, and is essential to the success of this movement.

By standing together, journalists can have the power to let others be heard through their media outlets. The influence of this kind of power far surpasses what any negative consequences could lead to. Journalism is a powerful tool, and together we can use this to stand together.