The Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis Centre is a support service for women and girls aged 13 and over who have been affected by sexual violence. Funding through Voices from the Frontline enabled a group of young survivors to research and deliver a report to change how the media reports on gender-based violence. Here, the team explains how they did it and what’s next for their project.
Young survivors of sexual violence in our community launched a campaign to change how the media reports on gender-based violence. They first did a survey to find out what young people think and 110 young survivors responded. 72% said the way sexual violence is portrayed has a negative impact on their wellbeing and 83% felt their own experiences of sexual violence weren’t represented in the media. Media portrayals of sexual violence are preventing survivors from coming forward and accessing support. Our research made that very clear.
Workshops with an academic researcher taught the group research methods and data analysis. They learned the tools needed to deliver their own research project. Then, they then collated their findings into a comprehensive report. Making the research digestible and accessible was equally important, as was delivering their findings. The group shared their work with people National Union of Journalists, who gave them advice on delivering research to the media.
Young survivors in our community are now on the way to launching their report. Next we’ll work on developing their public speaking and presentation skills. Our aim is to influence the media and work with agencies to improve these portrayals. To make this happen, we’ve started speaking to university journalism courses. We want to present our research to journalists right at the start of their careers, so we can influence how they report on sexual violence from the outset.
We still managed to make a big impact, despite the disruption of Covid-19. Many of the young women and girls told us they feel more confident after being involved in the project. For example, one said: “I feel really valued because I’ve been trusted to take part in this project, this work is really important and I’ve become more confident at working with others and expressing my views.”
Once the pandemic is over, we want to run a panel discussion event for the public and media. We know the media plays a huge role in shaping how people think. By getting media professionals involved in our work, we’re hoping to challenge some of the most harmful attitudes. Our ultimate aim is to make young survivors realise they’ve experienced sexual violence and encourage them to disclose it.
Find out more about Voices from the Frontline. Follow Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre at @RCCGlasgow on Twitter and visit their website.