United Women Banja Luka
United Women Banja Luka
Address: Kalemegdanska 18, 78000 Banja Luka
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Telephone/fax: 051 463 143
Telephone: 051 462 146
E-mail:
Web:
WORKSHOP REPORT
"REPORTING ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE - CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES"
Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 20 - 22 March 2008
In period from 20 to 22 March 2008, United Women Banja Luka organized workshop about professional media reporting on issues of domestic violence and gender based violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with sharing experiences from the region, namely Croatia and Serbia, by women activists of women's associations. There were 28 (twenty- eight) women and men participants at the workshop – seven male journalists and seven female journalists from electronic and printed media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one female politician, one female representative of official institutions, ten female activists and two male activists of nongovernmental organizations that are working on gender equality issues and women’s human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia.
Objectives of the Workshop:
-To provide opportunity for women and men journalists to have a dialogue with activists of nongovernmental organizations and expand their knowledge on issues of domestic violence and gender based violence;
-To increase awareness and sensitivity for linkage of gender equality and gender based violence and responsibility of women and men journalists in reporting about these issues;
-To open a space for exchange of experiences in prevention of domestic violence and violence against women, share examples of good practices and challenges in cooperation with official institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region;
-To develop recommendations for gender sensitive media reporting about domestic violence and violence against women in order to improve public policies and media policies, and work together on elimination of gender based violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During first day of the workshop, women and men participants had the opportunity to see documentaries and TV programs, as examples of good and bad practices in media reporting (Documentary "Dream Job", directed by Danijela Majstorovic, B&H about challenges that women face in entertainment industry, clips from central news programs reporting on 8 March, the International Women’s Day, broadcasted on NTV Hayat, etc.) that were introduction to the workshop work.
During second day, women and men participants had the opportunity to learn about situation in the field of gender based violence and media reporting through presentations of women activists from Croatia and Serbia. Situation and experiences from Croatia were presented by Željka Jelavić, Ethnologist, Founder and Coordinator of Center for Women’s Studies from Zagreb, Croatia. She is also teaching Introduction to Women’s Studies and Feminist Anthropology, and is organizer and teacher on Feminist Summer School of Women’s Network Croatia, and has cooperation with numerous women’s groups in Croatia. Željka Jelavić is Editor of Magazine Third, and Custodian in EthnographicMuseum in Zagreb, Croatia.
In presentation with title “Media and Violence Against Women – Example from Republic of Croatia”, Željka Jelavić introduced international documents that are regulating the area of violence against women - CEDAW Convention from 1979, General Recommendation of UN CEDAW Committee on Diminishing Discrimination of Women from 1992, and Recommendation of Council of Europe on Protection of Women from Violence from 2002, as well as provisions of domestic laws that are regulating violence against women and domestic violence – Criminal Code of Republic of Croatia from 1997 that defines prohibition of domestic violence, and Law on Protection from Domestic Violence of Republic of Croatia from 2003.
Željka Jelavić also pointed at positive laws that regulate prohibition of discrimination in media – Law about Media of Republic of Croatia from 2004 and Law on Gender Equality of Republic of Croatia from 2003, which is currently in procedure of changes. Beside laws that regulate this area, Republic of Croatia also has in force the Ethical Codex of Journalism that regulates in detail obligation of gender sensitive media reporting and protection of personal data of a victim of violence. In her presentation, Željka Jelavić also presented key results of monitoring of printed media in Croatia conducted by the Gender Equality Office of Government of Croatia.
During 2006, 3105 newspaper articles were analyzed – out of total number, 66% was related to following issues: violence against women 28%, women on labor market 16%, homosexual orientation 11%, women and politics 6%, women and education 3%, Roma women 1%, and interviews 1%. In rest of 34% newspaper articles, with less than 1% of total number of analyzed articles following issues are focus: activities of women’s nongovernmental organizations, prostitution and trafficking of women, harassment at work, women’s health, position of women in church, alimonies, etc. Number of articles related to position of women increases in March – marking the International Women’s Day (8 March), September – in relation to National Day of Fighting Violence Against Women (22 September), and November –in relation to the International Day of Fighting Violence Against Women (25 November).
On 5 March 2007, Media Committee has been established within Office for Gender Equality of Republic of Croatia with objective of monitoring and assessment of implementation of gender equality policy in media. Committee acts as independent body, and members are appointed for the period of 4 years that corresponds to the period of National Policy for Promotion of Gender Equality 2006 – 2010.
As a part of activists’ efforts of nongovernmental organizations in Croatia that are working on gender equality issues and protection of women’s human rights, workshops and seminars for women and men journalists were organized, analysis of media were conducted, and publications and documentaries are produced. Women’s nongovernmental organizations in Croatia are cooperating with official institutions and are actively participating in development and implementation, as well as monitoring of National Policy for Promotion of Gender Equality. Organizations and networks that are active in this field are B.a.B.e; Women’s Network of Croatia, Center for Women’s Studies, CESI, AŽKZ, Center for Women ROSA, Women’s Room, Women’s Info Point, Step, etc.
Željka Jelavić also presented Guidelines for Media Reporting About Domestic Violence that are integral part of Manual with Guidelines for Media Reporting on Domestic Violence, Zagreb:MOMBS, 2007 – domestic violence is not a private issue, abuser is responsible for domestic violence, avoiding sensationalism, protection of victim’s identity, avoiding secondary victimization of a victim, as well as avoiding victimization and stereotypes.
Experiences from Serbia were presented by Tanja Ignjatović, Psychologist and Activist of nongovernmental organizations “Voice of Difference” and “Autonomous Women’s Center” from Belgrade, Serbia. In her presentation with title “Social Context of Domestic Violence and Media Reporting – Between Obligations and Realities – Situation in Serbia”, Tanja Ignjatović pointed at indicators of policy and system of protection and prevention of domestic violence, for which Serbia mostly does not have positive answers – is there a state strategy against violence against women, is there developed national action plan, is there governmental body for coordination of activities, are there public budget resources allocated, how victim’s support is organized, are there programs for abusers, what kind of training for professionals is existing, media reporting and public awareness, how data are collected and research organized.
Serbia does not have National Plan for Fighting Domestic Violence and/or Violence Against Women (2 drafts), neither it have some specialized body that deals with these issues (Autonomous Region of Vojvodina developed a Strategy that is currently in process of adoption). There are solid legal preconditions in Serbia, but implementation of laws reflect several shortages – there are not standardized protocols about acting of professionals in services, there are no protocols about mutual cooperation (with exception of internal protocols and General and Special Protocols about Protection of Children From Abuse and Neglect), and institutions show high level of prejudices in work. Until now, the state did not organize any national campaign against violence against women. National wide campaigns are organized by Network of women’s organizations, without financial assistance from the state. Serbia does not have a strategy of presenting violence in media, and violence is (often( presented in sensationalistic manner, without protection of personal data, with abuse of a victim, from wrong perspective, as individual or solely social or humanitarian issue, without questioning public responsibility. Political –media campaign for “safe houses” is dominant.
In her presentation, Tanja Ignjatović analyzed example of 4 newspaper articles published in Serbia about incidents of violence against women, focusing on analysis of headlines, magazines and newspapers that published articles and their authors, sources used in articles, descriptions that were used, description of abusers, description of victims, identity of witnesses, description of violence, and interventions of the official institutions. In media reporting, understanding of phenomena of violence against women and domestic violence represents precondition for reporting – description of context, violent events, victim, abuser. Question of responsibility for violence has been treated as individual, private issue, nothing points at responsibility of the state and institutions, and lack of systematic solutions.
In relation to methodology of media reporting, Recommendation Rec(2002)5Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe to the states members about protection of women from violence, and points that, in relation to media, states members should conduct following activities: encourage media to promote non-stereotypical portrayal of women and men, avoid contents that show violence with sex, take into consideration also the area of new informational technologies, encourage media to participate in informative campaigns, encourage organizing trainings in order to inform media professionals and warn them on possible consequences of programs that allude on violence and sex, to encourage adoption and implementation of codes for professionals in media that would include issues of violence against women, and encourage activities of monitoring this occurrence within organizations that are monitoring work of media.
Freedom of expression and informing is guaranteed by the Article 10 of the Convention on Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, rights on presumption of innocence, fair trial and respect of private and family life are regulated by Articles 6 and 8, while possibility of conflict of interests is protected by the Articles 6, 8 and 10 of the Convention. She also emphasized importance of media reporting in informing the public about criminal procedures (self-regulation in media). Recommendation R(2003)13of the Ministerial Committee to the states members about media distribution of information related to criminal procedures, Recommendation R(97)21about media and promotion of culture and tolerance, as well as Annex of the Recommendation Rec(2003)13are regulating principles related to media distribution of information in criminal procedures (18 principles), among which following are especially important for this area: Principle 1–Informing the public through media – about activities of judicial authorities and police services, Principle 3 – Accuracy of information – judicial authorities and police services should offer to media only confirmed information and those information based on reasonable presumptions,Principle 8. Protection of privacy in context of criminal procedures that are currently undergoing, information about suspect, indicted person or sentenced person (right to privacy), special protection for minors and other “vulnerable” persons, victims, witnesses, (identity of a witness can not be revealed), families of suspects, indicted and sentenced persons; have in mind all harmful consequences that identification could have.
Workshop facilitators were from Bosnia and Herzegovina - Dragana Dardić and Aleksandar Živanović, journalists and activists of Helsinki Citizens Assembly Banja Luka. After presentations, women and men participants were identifying issues which male and female journalists are facing when preparing, stories and reports about domestic violence, and issues identified in media reporting from the point of viewers, listeners, and readers.
Issues
From journalist’s point of view:
-Lack of data bases
-Lack of sensitivity among sources of information for the issues of violence against women
-Lack of adequate persons that can provide information
-Women do not want to talk about violence
-Lack of time in daily reporting – deficit of time
-Journalist is often in conflict with insensible editor which sometimes results with unwanted presentation of events: sensationalism, revealing identity, photographs
-Lack of access to official institutions
-Closed community
-Way of placing such information (should identity of a victim should be hidden, how to illustrate a story, which information should be given, and which should be hidden)
From NGOs’ point of view:
-For media, violence represents marginal issue, except in cases when it represents sensation
-If it is severe form of violence, it is presented as sensation
-Problem is viewed on stereotypical way (for example, sexual violence is more interesting and better ranked in media)
-Media do not report enough about domestic violence, except police reports and statistical information of NGOs
-Clichés and erotized language is used
-Superficial and non/analytic approach
-Media are dealing with violence when it happens
-There is no prevention work
-Simplifying violence
-Lack of ethics
-Violence is marginal issue in media (using media to make gender based violence publicly visible)
-Existing stereotypes (stereotypes should be diminished in media)
-Lack of relevant information (information should not go in public if they are not precise and checked)
-Lack of journalists specialized for the issue (developing specializations within media redactions)
-Events are not covered until the end (research journalism)
-News are goods (this is the reason for journalist to be ethical, be familiar with rights of a victim and human rights in general)
-Revealing identity of a victim (this should not be done in any circumstances, even revealing indirect evidences that might reveal identity, except in cases when a victim is ready to do that)
-Sanctions against abusers are rarely visible in news reports (this should be highly emphasized in media)
-Institutions are not recognizing and solving systemic issues (media should insist that public officials speak about these problems)
-Lack of space in daily broadcasts (provide more space and turn back to analytic reporting)
Legislative and regulative framework for media which also relates to some issues on reporting about violence against women was presented during the third day of the workshop.
Based on presentations, discussions, and small group work, women and men workshop participants defined following:
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPORTING ABOUT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
Recommendations for Media
1. Insisting on introduction of professional standards within media in order to avoid sensationalism and ways of reporting that could cause additional negative consequences for sides involved in cases of domestic violence.
2. Introducing regular TV and radio programs that would be dedicated to fighting against violence. Recommendation is to enable women and men viewers and listeners to vote and choose action/activity of nongovernmental organizations, which, by their opinion, contributed to some positive changes in a society.
3. In no way insist for revealing identity of victims or publishing any information that can cause revealing identity. It would be desirable that women and men journalists consult with centers for social work and nongovernmental organizations on how to report on these cases.
4. It should be cautious when distributing information about poor functioning of the system, and pay attention not only to send public message that would discourage victims, for example that is impossible to protect a victim if she/he reports violence. Women and men journalists should insist on direct calls for responsibility of official institutions and women and men individuals that are chains in the system that are not functioning to respond on concrete questions about their lack of initiative and work on specific cases and in general. This way of reporting should be aimed to make these institutions and individuals aware that the public monitors their work and should encourage them to be more efficient.
5. Statements of witnesses (neighbors, passers-by, family members, etc.) about domestic violence should be carefully used. If witnesses are defending, justifying or blaming some persons involved in violence, statements should be carefully used. What is the purpose of this story – to report about violence or wider social problems that were influencing violence to happen. In no case abuser’s behavior should be justified, and information that are not related with a case of violence should not be released (for example, that he is respectful citizen and good man, fighter in was for homeland, she was suspicious even before and all kinds of stories are circulating about her in a village, etc.)
6. Women and men journalists should continuously monitor what happened in cases of violence, what were further actions of official institutions, if a case was taken into court, how abuser was punished. Media should also use judicial decisions as source of information.
7. Unchecked information should not be used in cases of violence, and women and men journalists should especially pay attention if that information could endanger a victim.
8. Based on information about potential causes of violence, women and men journalists should prepare analytic reports and articles that would also address these issues, and in relation to it again call for responsibility of authorized official institutions and persons. In any case, violence should not be justified with other social issues.
9. Women and men journalists and editors should pay attention on language used in written reports and articles and news reports and stories, and especially when choosing headlines, in order to avoid using language and headlines that would simplify the issue of violence against women (for example, it is inexcusable to use headline: He used a gun to force a girl on love, because it relates with a case of rape of a minor girl with using weapon as threat)
10. Gender sensitive language should be used in all texts. If there is resistance in redaction for usage of gender sensitive language, women and men journalists should try to fight for using it in cases obviously related to violence and discrimination based on sex and gender, in order to emphasize power relations between a victim and an abuser (for example, unacceptable is to use headline: He hit technical secretary(*using male term) 0 because it hides that a secretary is a female and that this case of violence has completely different connotation than if a victim was a male person).