If I was writing the ABC headline, I would have said “woman’s body” because she was a person not just a body, but at at least they recognised that she didn’t just die, she was killed, and her son is the man charged with her murder.
Data gathered by Counting Dead Women indicates more than one woman is killed every week in Australia. Hundreds of thousands more are abused and sexually assaulted by men who claim to love them.
This cannot change while we continue to pretend the men who choose to commit these crimes do not exist.
A couple of years back the ABC asked Jess Hill and I to do some training with their senior editors on how to report men’s violence against women accurately and ethically. I wonder if there’s a connection here…
To be clear, journalists are not trained to be experts in gender based violence. Nor are they supposed to be activists. They’re trained to be journalists – to present verified facts within the bounds of the law. However, as the ABC demonstrates here, it’s not difficult to report crimes like this lawfully AND accurately.
_
Want to know more? Buy the FixedIt book direct from my website: www.JaneGilmore.com/books
FixedIt is an ongoing project to push back against the media’s constant erasure of violent men and blaming of innocent victims. If you would like to help fund it – even $5 a month makes a big difference – please consider becoming a Patron
1800 RESPECT
Sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling and support.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ph: 1800 737 732
www.1800respect.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ph: 1300 659 467
www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Kids Helpline
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone: 1800 55 1800
www.kidshelp.com.au
Men’s Referral Service
Support for men who use violence and abuse.
7 days a week
Ph: 1300 766 491
https://ntv.org.au/get-help/
