Thread by @mariemcinerney

Set to join #reportinggenderedviolence #trauma webinar: 'Enough is Enough-Reporting on Gender Violence for Journalists' with @samanthamaiden @NourHaydar
@PercyKaren @CaitlinAithne @OurWatchAus @dartian1

Being introduced by @dartian1 (who is guesting at @WePublicHealth this week), acknowledging that we live and work on the unceded lands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Webinar is being recorded and will be posted on @DartCenter and @OurWatchAus websites #reportinggenderedviolence

What's made these stories so big is the bravery of the women who have spoken out, says @samanthamaiden of the Brittany Higgins case and others that have caused such distress/anger re toxic behaviour/abuse/assault in Canberra

Some have suggested gender divide on reporting of these issues, says @samanthamaiden - are lots of good men who do good work, though perhaps some were 'stepping back' but was PM's comments acknowledging it ("as a father") that made it a story they couldn't ignore.

Sadly hearing from @NourHaydar that her mother was killed by her father and that she was hurt that media reporting on her "did not do her life justice". She keeps that in mind in her reporting - language matters.

Do we give the same attention that the Brittany Higgins case has received to those who do not fit her profile - white, middle class, articulate? No we don't, says
@samanthamaiden but her case made many women think 'if she can't get justice, what hope do I have?'

Hearing from Naomi Bailey from @OurWatchAus about resources for media who are reporting on violence against women, including interviewing/writing about people with lived experience. They're here: media.ourwatch.org.au

"You can't talk about violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women without acknowledging that racism is a form of violence." Audrey Walker

media.ourwatch.org.au/resource/abori…

Hearing re the 'Don't read the comments' report from @CaitlinAithne re online safety/harassment for women working in the media. Journalists needed whole of org support: guidelines have been produced in response for workplaces, working with @withMEAA

genvic.org.au/wp-content/upl…

. @genderequityvic is offering Cybersafety Training for Media Organisations

genvic.org.au/our-services/t…

Now hearing from @dartian1 on tips when journalists are triggered by reporting on violence

. @NourHaydar says interesting that criticism of women journalists reporting on violence against women are being described as advocates "as if that diminishes our reporting". Says she would absolutely see herself as an advocate against violence against women.

Not a coincidence we are talking more about 'women's issues' now there is a greater number of women journalists in Canberra. How wonderful it would be to have more diversity in that pool of women, the resources they could tap into for really robust storytelling: @NourHaydar

Outstanding work has been done by Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame but @NourHaydar worries that CALD or Indigenous women & those with disabilities "don't garner the same traction, even though the statistics show they are more likely to experience violence".

Media need to be careful about the way they ask women who have experienced violence/trauma to tell their stories. "We should never forget they are not public figures by choice entirely, and we are asking a lot of them." @samanthamaiden

Is okay that we don't get change until we put victims out in the public square, asks @samanthamaiden.

But many feel they have to go to the media bec they're not getting justice elsewhere.

"What is the access to the rule of law for women/men who have been sexually assaulted".

In a fast news environment, being an @OurWatchAus fellow gave @NourHaydar more confidence to provide context and different voices to her family violence reporting, eg not refer to DV "incident", but something that requires political/policy response.

Understanding the need to address the drivers of family violence has been really beneficial to @NourHaydar's reporting, to make sure she doesn't fall into poor journalism practice because of time pressure and remaining patriarchal attitudes, asking why violence occurs.

Polls showing poor attitudes to women are widely held, what do when wall to wall coverage on violence/inequity experienced by women doesn't shift?

"I don't think it's falling on deaf ears" says @samanthamaiden, tho sometimes an expectation it's 'a women's problem to fix'.

We need more men to stand up - not to say women not being clear enough about what change they want, men's responsibility to look too: @samanthamaiden

Conversations on consent are "frightening and uncomfortable, but really important".

Good question from @PercyKaren, who observes are more women than men attending this webinar, about how many male journos have become @OurWatchAus fellows.

@NourHaydar says was 1 in 13 in her intake.

She urges more focus from sports/courts journalists.

"The truth is we all have unconscious biases. Yes objectivity is important but lived experience informs your views in a big way," says @samanthamaiden, in relation to male journalists seeing stories on gendered violence as "not the main game".