Media failing sexual assault victims with irresponsible coverage 

The media has been accused of failing women, especially sexual assault victims with sensational and irresponsible reportage on such cases.   

At a workshop by the Centre of Journalism and Ethics, the cases of alleged sexual assault involving a Ghanaian footballer and an entertainer came up for mention. 

According to the Former Editor of the ''Pioneer'' and Press Secretary to Late President Limann,  Mohammed Adam, the young women at the center of both cases were humiliated and traumatised as their names and pictures were splashed all over the media. 

Mr. Adam called for a change in how domestic and gender issues are carried in the media.  

In 2015 it was reported that a showbiz icon had unprotected sex with a lady who accused him of rape. 

A few days after the story broke the name of the girl and her pictures were all over the media and the internet. 

In another case involving a national team player and a lady, the media's discretion in the reportage and the subsequent expose of her images was questioned.  

According to Mohammed Adam, such actions fail the victims and put them through humiliation. 

He said the language used when discussing sexual assault cases is also unhelpful as victims are rather blamed instead of the perpetrators.

The president of the GJA, Roland Affail Monney urged journalists to subject themselves to training on ethics and gender in order to understand the need to protect victims of sexual assault and women.

More than 20 reporters and editors participated in the day's training. 

It was organised in collaboration with the Canadian High Commission and Knutsford University.

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