'Stop dramatising cases of gender-based violence' — WISE to media

The Executive Director of Women Initiative for Self-Empowerment (WISE) Ghana, Adwoa Bame has appealed to media practitioners to be gender-sensitive when reporting on gender-based violence in the country.

She noted that most often broadcast journalists, especially newscasters try to dramatise gender-based violence which does more harm than good to the survivors.

"Let's take the drama out of the cases that we report so that people can get the real import of the story and understand what the survivors are going through even as to when the victim or survivor is listening to her story being reported, she will feel that, this is someone who understands my issue and not someone who want to make fun of her been victimised.

"We looking to eradicate gender-based violence against women and children. Be gender sensitive in your reportage, and report cases by giving out the message without traumatising the survivors the more. Again look at how you can help in a holistic way not just say your stories and you are done as a media practitioner. Anytime you are reporting on gender-based violence please wear your gender lens", she explained.

She said this at a media engagement forum in Accra on the theme "Engagement With The Media on Gender Responsiveness in Reportage".

"We are here today with the representative of the media houses so that we can address the issue of reporting on gender-based violence or cases with a bit of gender lens because we find out that, there is a lack of gender responsiveness in the reportage by many media houses when it comes to gender-based violence cases. We all know that is traumatising for the survivors and their families so if the media can do something about it then it helps to reduce the trauma that they are already going through and then it will create a conducive environment for empowerment and rehabilitation of the survivors".

She noted that WISE over the years has had an engagement with the media where information was shared to help improve their reportage.

According to her, there has been improvement made in reporting hence there is more improvement to be done in gender-based violence reportage.

"There has been improvement in reportage, especially with the local media but there is still room for improvement and so basically we will be pleading with the various media houses to look at those issues and address them very well because most often we are talking about children and this is building their future. If you give them that signal around them it kind of masks their future so yes there have been improvements but we still have a long way to go especially the local media".

Madam Adwoa Bame emphasis on visiting various media house to interact with journalists and also engaging the National Media Commission to help sensitized its members.

Madam Adwoa Bame furthermore urged media houses to develop a policy guide which will guide both news anchors and the reporters when reporting on gender-based violence.