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By now, having completed this module, you should know what
traumatic stress is; what PTSD, ASD and secondary traumatic stress effects
are; what the effects of traumatic stress are; why it is important for journalists
to know about these effects; how to interview people who have experienced
a traumatic event; how journalists can deal with a stressful work life; and
where to get more information for continued learning.
Interviewing trauma victims, as would be the case with any
difficult interpersonal task, should improve with practice. In journalism
school, sometimes students practice these interviews using role-playing and
interactive drama. (See the Resources section for
more information.)
Conceivably, media organizations could arrange for similar
training for their employees, perhaps working with a local journalism program.
Generally speaking, the rules for interviewing trauma victims
resemble the rules for being a good friend. Be respectful. Tell the truth.
Be empathetic. Be responsive. Be accurate and fair.
Families often clip and save news articles about a murdered
or injured loved one. It is disturbing to them if a name is misspelled or
a statement of fact is inaccurate. Remember that after someone has died, artifacts
that remind the survivors of their deceased loved one take on much greater
significance. Treat photographs with special care if a survivor entrusts you
with them. Keep in mind that news stories about the deceased person may become
part of an important body of memorabilia for the family.
When approaching the parent of a murdered child, journalists
should avoid asking banal questions like, "How do you feel?" or even "I know
how you feel" (even if they think they do). A better way of starting interaction
might be to say, "I'm very sorry about what happened to your daughter." Also,
journalists should be wary of asking questions that might sound unintentionally
accusatory.
Victims of violence and their loved ones have had the shock
of human cruelty inflicted upon them. One of the goals of the Dart Center
is to help train journalists not to add any further trauma to the lives of
people who have already suffered enough.
Journalists can also suffer from extended coverage of traumatic
events and need to be aware of the effects that such work may have on them
mentally and physically. It is neither in the best interest of the journalist
nor his or her subject for the journalist to be completely desensitized to
other people's suffering. On the other hand, too much empathy can be debilitating.
Like good news stories, balance is key.
Human cruelty is a sad fact of life and occurs both where you
expect it and don't expect it. Sharing stories of trauma and tragedy can be
helpful to those who are victimized as well as to society as a whole. The
Dart Center attempts to help journalists tell these important stories with
sensitivity and professionalism.
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