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Reporting trauma


Former BBC journalist, Jo Healy, explains how her course can help journalists when interviewing vulnerable people


into the homes and lives of hundreds of people whose emotions were shredded – ordinary people to whom something extraordinarily bad or difficult had happened. As reporters, we work closely with victims, survivors and interviewees who are emotionally vulnerable: grieving parents, orphaned children, survivors of rape, abuse and torture, people violated and atacked, people who’ve lost homes and livelihoods. More recently we have had to report on people affected by the pandemic and the stories of those involved in the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMater movements. We aren’t there to hold people to account, but to hear their stories and represent what they say in the best way possible. A few years back, I took a good hard look at what we do daily, not only at how vulnerable our contributors are but also how unprotected we and, indeed, our employers, were should


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cross three decades of covering people’s sensitive stories for newspapers, radio and TV, I have delved


it all go badly wrong. I approached people who had chosen to share their painful experiences with reporters. I asked them to tell me what was helpful, unhelpful, comforting or damaging when working with journalists. Teir responses were an eye-opener. Generously, many went on film to share constructive insights. Tey were able to help me put


together a Continuing Professional Development-accredited course on Trauma Reporting which I recently held for NUJ Training Wales. I address what we as journalists actually do when a tragic story breaks and apply trauma awareness and good practice at each step of the way. Te expectation is journalists leave with a much clearer idea of how to go about covering these tough emotional stories and how they can cope themselves aſter hearing witnesses’ harrowing and upseting accounts. Always check the


facts; inaccuracy will cause distress. Take time. Even if your deadline is pressing, don’t look as if you can’t wait to rush off. Melody is a survivor of child


sexual abuse. She waived her right to anonymity when her stepfather was jailed for 18 years. Via my Trauma Reporting training, she shared her experiences of working with reporters. She told me: “As a child victim, I had no power. Being interviewed, I felt I was back as a vulnerable child having to relive it again. Trough your training programme, I can share with journalists the need to give people like me choice, control and connection.”


htps://traumareporting.com/ Six-point guide for reporting domestic


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Jo’s website:


violence htps://ethicaljournalismnetwork. org/ejn-launches-six-point-guide-for- journalists-reporting-domestic-violence


Reporting on sexual violence in conflict: htps://www.coveringcrsv.org/


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TRAINING


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