Journalists need to collaborate with experts and understand proper terminologies to use when reporting issues like this.
The role of the media in tackling Gender-Based Violence was at the forefront of discussions at the Agenda for Capacity Building workshop 2024 held in Abuja on Monday.
The workshop, organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), centred on the theme, 'Enhancing Media Reporting on Gender Based Violence (GBV).'
During a panel discussion, experts emphasised the importance of ethical and impactful reporting in addressing GBV while ensuring sensitivity towards survivors.
Speaking at the event, the Programme Manager of the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Priye Diri, noted that reporting GBV requires a survivor-centred approach to humanise those affected and avoid re- traumatisation.
Ms Diri said it is not just about covering the issue, but also ensuring that stories are told in a way that doesn't re-inflict trauma on the survivors.
"I feel like when we are talking about survival-centred approach and how to tell the survivor's side of the story, it is important to humanise the survivors," she said.
"These survivors go through a process and it is important for the media to capture those processes and also think about a way to put out the story in a way that doesn't re-traumatise them."
A member of the Connected Hands for Family Health and Empowerment Initiative (CHAFHEIN), Amina Muhammad, stated that stories should also be humanised to provoke emotions.
Ms Muhammad said sharing specific humanised stories rather than statistics makes it easier for readers to connect and respond.
"How you tell the stories and how you present them to people to read is how people will read them," she said.
Gender-Based Violence
GBV is a pervasive global issue that affects individuals across all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
It refers to harmful acts directed at someone based on their gender, and can include physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological abuse.
The term covers a wide range of behaviours, from domestic violence, sexual harassment, and trafficking to female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage.
Historically, GBV has been rooted in power imbalances and gender inequalities, with women and girls disproportionately affected.
However, men and boys can also be victims of GBV, particularly in cases involving sexual violence, trafficking, and physical assault.
Despite growing awareness, many societies still struggle with deeply ingrained cultural, social, and economic norms that perpetuate violence and silence victims.
The impact of GBV is far-reaching, it causes severe physical and emotional harm, with long-term effects on the health and well-being of survivors.
Governments, civil society organisations, and international bodies continue to collaborate on addressing the root causes of GBV, providing survivor-centred services, and promoting gender equality.
Media ethics
The media plays a crucial role in addressing gender-based violence by raising awareness on these issues through impactful reporting.
However, for journalists to effectively report they must understand the subject being reported about and adhere to ethical standards.
The managing editor of Premium Times, Idris Akinbajo, emphasised the need for journalists to understand the subject, laws, terminologies before reporting.
"We as journalists need to understand proper terminologies to use when reporting issues like this.
"We also need to understand the laws we are reporting about and understand the laws surrounding those cases while understanding the peculiarities in each environment of where some of these things occurred," Mr Akinbajo said.
Ms Diri, the Programme Manager of the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, further noted that there are several ethical principles journalists must adhere to, emphasising the importance of building trust and maintaining sensitivity towards survivors.
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Collaboration for change
The media's role goes beyond raising awareness, it also requires collaborations with various stakeholders.
Ms Muhammad said that the media plays a crucial role in disseminating knowledge, particularly in creating awareness about laws.
She said the media has a pivotal role in raising awareness about laws like the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law, which many Nigerians are unaware of.
Mr Akinbajo added that journalists must collaborate with experts to ensure accurate and responsible reporting.
"It's essential for journalists to collaborate with experts to review their work before publication," he said.
"These experts can help identify incorrect terminologies and ensure the story is told appropriately and sensitively."
