Writers are tasked with bringing society’s attention to instances of sexual violence that often get normalised or ignored in the mainstream. But sometimes as a writer, you might unconsciously end up using some methods where your writing becomes a part of the problem rather than addressing it.
In a presentation for the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA), it was said, “Language is one of the key components of secondary victimization.”
Your writing shouldn’t rely on negative stereotypes or disempower survivors of sexual assault when highlighting their experience. The next time you are writing about sexual violence, remember these key points that will ensure your reporting is sensitive and non-discriminatory.
Here are 7 ways you can be careful while writing about sexual violence.
As one of India’s largest communities of writers, we decided to put together a few resources to help you in the challenges you face while writing on sexual violence.