Karen A. Duncan, M.A., LMFT, LSW
What the Media Can Do:
- Educate and provide training to reporters, journalists and producers about female sexual perpetrators and child sexual abuse. Use language in media coverage - television, radio and print - that conveys sexual abuse as a traumatic crime committed by women and men against children who are most often known to children and teens - family danger is a real and prevalent danger when it comes to the trauma of sexual abuse.
- Talk to and interview professionals who know about sexual abuse and perpetrators. When interviewing a convicted female or male offender balance the interview with information from a professional expert in order to maintain ethical reporting and to provide the public accurate and thoughtful information.
- When interviewing victims whether children, teens or adults have a knowledgeable expert on the television or radio show and quoted within the text of an article in order to better explain the traumatic crime of sexual abuse.
- The media can provide a valuable community service by taking a primary role in educating the public about this crime and the people who commit it. Prevention begins when we can change the belief system of families and communities through education.
Ms. Duncan offers a one-day workshop for the media titled: "The Media's Role in Preventing Sexual Abuse: Education Rather Perpetuation". Ms. Duncan can be reached at karenduncan@healing4women.com