Render assistance after getting the story, journalists told

Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau

Journalists have been urged to adopt humanitarian principles and help survivors of gender-based violence by directing them to services after getting the story.

This was said at a sensitisation workshop recently by the technical Advisor-advocacy, Communication and Social mobilisation Manager for Zimbabwe Association of Church Related Hospitals ( ZACH) Ms Shamiso Yikoniko.

Ms Yikoniko said although the primary interest for journalists is to get the story, there is need to link the source to services or places where they can get help

“Do not write things that you do not understand or use discriminatory terms. Seek clarity from experts on areas that you don’t understand,” she said.

“Give the survivor a voice and remove your emotions from the story. The objective of this sensitisation meeting is to give journalists more information on the support phase of the Start Awareness Support Action model.”

SASA is an approach developed to raise voices in preventing violence against women.

Ms Yikoniko said the sensitisation meeting aimed to equip journalists with facts on unbalanced power relations and SASA strategies in combating gender-based violence.

SASA Projects Manager Mr Maxwell Hombiro said there is a need for journalists, gender activists, pastors and chiefs to synchronise their messages to the people.