Media practitioners have been urged to uphold ethical standards when reporting on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), to avoid causing further harm to survivors and to foster societal change.
This charge was made during a media hangout organized by the Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN), themed: “Ethical Media Reporting on Prevention of (and Response to) Violence Against Women and Girls: Balancing Truth, Sensitivity, and Impact.”
Delivering the keynote address, the Special Adviser to the Osun State Governor on Public Communication, Mr. Sola Ajala, stressed the pivotal role of the media in shaping public understanding and response to critical social issues, including gender-based violence.
According to Ajala, “When reporting on violence against women and girls, media professionals must walk a delicate line. They are tasked with exposing injustice and amplifying survivors’ voices, while ensuring their reporting does not re-traumatize victims, reinforce stereotypes, or contribute to public desensitization.”
He added, “The media is not a passive mirror—it actively constructs social reality. The language used, the images selected, the sources quoted, and even what is left unreported all influence public attitudes and policy responses.”
Ajala emphasized that ethical journalism involves both accuracy and context. “Truth in journalism is more than stating facts. It requires dismantling myths, avoiding sensationalism, protecting survivors’ identities, obtaining informed consent, and using respectful language,” he said.
He urged journalists to provide helpful resources in their reports, such as information on hotlines, shelters, legal aid, and advocacy services. “Articles should turn awareness into action by highlighting bystander strategies and systemic reforms,” he added.
On narrative framing, Ajala encouraged journalists to spotlight the resilience of survivors. “Survivors are not just victims—they are advocates and leaders. Telling their stories with agency shifts the narrative from despair to hope.”
He also challenged the media to hold institutions accountable. “Why was a restraining order not issued? Why was a police report ignored? Why is justice delayed? Ethical journalism must interrogate these systemic failures.”
Quoting Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ajala warned against the dangers of the “single story.” “Focusing only on extreme cases risks obscuring the everyday violence—emotional, economic, and psychological—that is equally damaging.”
In her remarks, CEWHIN’s Executive Director, Atinuke Odukoya, described the media as a vital agenda-setter and mindset shaper. “The media is a stakeholder in this fight. Whether online, on air, or in print, journalists shape public perception and influence societal norms.”
She called on journalists to leverage their platforms to foster a culture of zero tolerance for violence. “We must build communities that say, ‘We don’t do this here.’ That is the vision for Osun—a state that stands united against all forms of violence against women and girls,” she declared.
