Increasing media interest in violence against women has been vital to bringing about cultural and policy change. But it also raises important safety and wellbeing concerns for the journalists involved and their editors. 

Some journalists who have high profile roles in reporting on violence against women can be the victims of threats and unpleasant, sometimes violent, online trolling. The below video looks at how journalists can ensure their physical safety and emotional safety, as well as deal with online trolling. 

Journalists who are routinely exposed to stories of violence and abuse may experience ‘vicarious trauma’. Vicarious trauma is the cumulative effect of working with trauma, which can affect many aspects of a person’s life. It may consist of short-term reactions, or longer-term effects that continue long after the work has finished. 

The below video includes advice for dealing with vicarious trauma.