Universal-Womens-accesss-to-justice-Publications-Practitioners-Guide-Series-2016-ENG

250 PRACTITIONERS GUIDE No. 12
Working with media
Addressing violence against women necessarily means a
challenge to discriminatory social attitudes, and media can play
a role both in reinforcing or, alternatively, changing these
attitudes. Dealing with the media, however, may engender
harassment, contempt and inappropriate interference into the
private lives of victims. In such situations, a practitioner may
counsel against engagement with the media.
However, media is not monolithic and some outlets can be used
to good effect. Social media and internet platforms may be
used to put forward a considered piece, which reflects the
concerns and views of your client and your aims in bringing the
case. Advocacy and awareness raising using internet platforms
can be a good way of bringing solidarity of other women,
sharing stories, and advocating for change. 671 However,
advocates must be careful to avoid contempt of court issues
and refrain from commenting on specific cases in a way that
may be seen as trying to influence the outcome of any specific
cases that are currently active before the courts. Reporting
restrictions that may apply to major media outlets in specific
cases can also be applicable to individual users on social media
platforms.
Another strategy is to work with media covering international
or major national stories about violence against women. It can
be useful to work with journalists to draw out the similarity
between cases in the news and the particular cases of
practitioners. This mix of the global news and the local
appraisal of violence against women works because violence
against women tends to have common characteristics wherever
Spain, CEDAW Communication No 47/2012, UN Doc
CEDAW/C/58/D/47/2012 (2014).
671
For good examples of empowering campaigning, solidarity and
activism see, Hollaback, a web-based initiative active in many
countries globally, on street harassment, URL:
http://www.ihollaback.org/#; and Everyday Sexism on discrimination
more generally and forms of gender-based violence, URL:
http://everydaysexism.com/.