Hello Chris,
I am just going to cut to the chase. I am mad and sad at every media outlet including you. As a matter of fact I expect more from you because you have exposure to journalism outside of Ghana. Why does the media in Ghana not protect rape victims in Ghana? Why do we post the picture,age, workplace etc of victims?
This is why rape is as high as it is in the world because besides the emotional and physical trauma they have to deal with becoming a “rape celebrity”. Women are punished and shamed for the rest of their lives by the rapist and by journalist.
I’ll cite the woman who was alleged to be raped by KKD. You posted her picture, name and age. Would it have hurt to conceal her identity? In this internet age nothing you post goes away. Imagine being her, 200 years from now when she heals each time she or an employer googlies her she has to be reminded she was raped. Its not okay!! and it needs to stop!!.. No traffic on your page is worth someone’s life being ruined. I live in the US and every time a woman is raped she is protected. Her identity is not splashed on blogs and newspapers.
Same thing with this poor woman who has been gang raped and her naked pictures distributed. Could you not have reported this without giving her identity away? could you not have chosen not to post it all together? If this were your sister would you post her picture and let the world know three men violated her?
Besides the abuse she has faced she has become a rape celebrity. She has been identified and will be identified years from now as the woman who was gang raped. Her ordeal is even worse because the perpetrators had the nerve to spread naked pictures.
As a woman, I am angry, sad and hurt. This could have been me, my friend, my sister, my neighbor and if this were to happen to me, I would want people to protect me not direct traffic to their page from my misery!! Please stop it!! Make a stand to be that journalist that protects rape victims. Please.
Feel free to share this message on your blog or Facebook if you choose to. It could be a learning moment for all.
Abena Yaa Ama Serwaa
Chris-Vincent’s comments
I just landed in Barcelona and I am pretty tired—which means, I am not going to write anything lengthy in response to this one…
I appreciate and understand the concerns raised above but to be frank, I do not see the unreasonableness in reporting a rape case involving an adult victim—with her name having been mentioned.
If the victim is a minor, then there should be total anonymity. However, we will review our editorial policy on this, taking into consideration your e-mail!
Thanks…