Letter to the Editor: Jewish Week - Protect Identity
Thank you Bob Russell for writing this letter!
Thank you Gary Roseblatt for having the courage to publish it.
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Letter
Protect Identity
Jewish Week (NY)
January 5, 2006
Your naming a survivor of sexual abuse is morally, ethically and journalistically reprehensible (“Woman Charges Tendler In Sex Harassment Case,” Dec. 30). How would you feel if your son or daughter were sexually violated and had the courage to bring charges, only to be publicized in the press? You should know better.
This is not about protecting alleged abusers; this is about stopping sexual abuse. Your naming of accusers impedes victims from speaking out and provides more protection for predators.
The cycle of sexual abuse must stop, and the press plays a major role in whether victims come forward or not. Victims should never be identified publicly. They have that right to privacy.
Bob Russell
Chairman - SNAP Maryland
Glen Rock, Pa.
Thank you Gary Roseblatt for having the courage to publish it.
*************************************
Letter
Protect Identity
Jewish Week (NY)
January 5, 2006
Your naming a survivor of sexual abuse is morally, ethically and journalistically reprehensible (“Woman Charges Tendler In Sex Harassment Case,” Dec. 30). How would you feel if your son or daughter were sexually violated and had the courage to bring charges, only to be publicized in the press? You should know better.
This is not about protecting alleged abusers; this is about stopping sexual abuse. Your naming of accusers impedes victims from speaking out and provides more protection for predators.
The cycle of sexual abuse must stop, and the press plays a major role in whether victims come forward or not. Victims should never be identified publicly. They have that right to privacy.
Bob Russell
Chairman - SNAP Maryland
Glen Rock, Pa.
posted by Jewish Survivors at Thursday, January 05, 2006
1 Comments:
Why is it that Jewish newspapers (Jewish Week, Forward, then those two trash papers -- Jewish Press and Susan's Voice and Opinion) disregard the guidelines on ethical reporting on violent crimes provided by the US Dept. of Justice?
All I can figure is that they have never read the information on the following link:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/assist/instructor/ascii/18Chapter.txt
If they did, the would see that:
The news media should--
* Never publish the identity of a sexual assault victim without his or her prior consent, regardless of whether the case is in the criminal or civil courts.
Did you catch that? It even mentions civil court. Should it matter if another paper disregards the policy, should all the papers disregard it too? Or should Jewish papers hold to a higher standard?
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