Working sensitively with survivors of sexual abuse: tips and insights

Harvey Weinstein-whistleblower and #MeToo-survivor Louise Godbold has given many media interviews. “All we ask as survivors is that you treat us with dignity and respect. When you commodify us or our story, you retraumatize us by becoming yet another abuser who exploits us,” she tells journalists.

Interviewing survivors is highly sensitive work, yet reporters remain largely untrained in how best to go about it.

Journalist and Trauma Reporting training specialist Jo Healey asked for Godbold’s input and the input of twenty further survivors from the charity On Road Media in order to produce tips for journalists when working with survivors of sexual abuse. She also teamed up with Dr. Danny Taggart, Principal Psychologist for the Truth Project.

Media tips for working with survivors:

Sexual violence is often profoundly traumatic. Working well with survivors isn’t just about what to do and what to say but how to be. Be human. 

These offer guidance, but please ask your interviewee what works for them.

Some considerations:

• Shame: they may feel ashamed of what happened, ashamed about people knowing, they may have been made to feel complicit.

• Guilt: they may feel they were at fault, to blame, could have stopped it, should have spoken out sooner.

• Belief: they may fear not being believed. They may have tried to disclose and not been believed.

• Stigma: they may feel humiliated, damaged, that people will look down on them.

• Fear: they may feel afraid of their abuser, of breaking up their family, of public opinion.

• Trust: they may have been betrayed by people, professionals, and systems.

• Anger: they may feel angry with their abuser, themselves, or with others for not helping them.

• Anxiety: it may take huge effort to feel comfortable talking to you. They may be anxious about reactions to the piece.

Before the interview:

Remember, power and control was taken from them during the assault. Enable them to take some control back:

• Prepare: doing your research and knowing important details will signal your level of respect. You are asking them to trust you with life-changing experiences.

• Offer choice: they may wish to choose the location, where to sit, choose to have someone with them, choose what to share with you. Listen to and respect their choices.

• Informed consent: manage expectations around your role and the process. Be honest. Be careful not to jeopardise any legal proceedings.

• Connection: treat people as individuals. Abuse and trauma affect people in all sorts of ways.

• Survivors may feel devalued because of their experiences. Talking about yourself a lot can signal you are more important. Listen with compassion, rather than talk. 

• Treat them with dignity and empathy, but avoid trying to fix them or being patronising.

• Physical contact: respect their personal space. Ask permission, for example, before fixing radio mics. 

• Acknowledge: they may have felt tense or nervous before meeting you. Be considerate and chat things through. 

• Safety: is there anything which may activate such as shutting them in a room with you, crowding them, darkening the room, blocking the exit? If they don’t feel safe, they may be in survival mode and struggle to interact. For some, fear can be easily triggered.

• If you are filming anonymously, show them the shot. Be careful with distinctive features like hairstyles, jewelry, clothing, location, voice.

• Offer control: chat through the possible questions. Let them know they only need to answer what they want to answer, they can stop at any time. Always be clear if you are recording.

During the interview:

• Body language: open and unthreatening, sit at the same level.

• Avoid staring or being stony-faced.

• Avoid saying you know how they feel or what they must be going through.

• Be careful with accusatory ‘why’ questions or devil’s advocate questions, which can imply disbelief. Avoid the language of blame. Be collaborative.

• Give them time and attention. Reflect back to show you have understood. 

• Trauma can distort thoughts and memories, allow for this.

• Trauma is exhausting, allow breaks.

• Avoid asking them to describe intimate details of their abuse. This information is personal and painful. 

• If they appear vacant or agitated, they may be re-living the traumatic event. Stay calm. Pause the interview to gently bring them back into the present moment. Ask what they can see in the room or hear.

• It is also important to pause if they become emotionally overwhelmed. Take a moment and re-establish that they are happy to continue with the interview.

• They’re a survivor because they survived. Ask what helped them get through and acknowledge their identity beyond their trauma. 

After the interview:

• Thank them, they have given you a great deal. Be clear and honest around what happens next. Be realistic on timelines and keep them updated. Take care not to be dismissive or distracted.

• Sometimes survivors can feel a sense of pride about having spoken out but this can be followed by overwhelming shame. Check in with them later to ask if they are O.K. You can offer resources for support.

• Check terminology. Do they prefer victim or survivor or neither?  Check the facts carefully and stick to them without sensationalizing your account. Be clear this was sexual exploitation. Avoid words like ‘closure’ and ‘historical.’ For them, it can be anything but.

• These interviews can be impactful and you, as a journalist, need to look after yourself. Few of us escape trauma in our lives so be mindful of your own vulnerabilities when working with survivors.