What difference can thoughtful reporting make? Well, quite a lot, actually.

That’s what the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) and researcher Alessia Tranchese want us to think about. They’ve just put out a new resource to help journalists report on rape responsibly. It’s based on 12 years of British press coverage and highlights some big issues in how stories about rape and sexual violence are told—and the different ways we talk about men’s and women’s experiences.

EVAW’s CEO Andrea Simons recently spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour (26.09.24) about why this matters. She didn’t mince words: “How we report on rape and sexual violence does have an impact on our collective beliefs and attitudes around violence against women and girls.” Translation? Words matter. The way we talk about these stories can keep harmful stereotypes and myths alive, like blaming vvictim-survivors or shaming them.

Journalist Yvonne Roberts, also on the show, shared some pretty alarming stats: last year, about 68,000 rapes were reported to the police, but only 5% led to a charge, and of those, just 2.9% resulted in a conviction. And those 68,000 reports? They might only be a fraction—about a sixth—of what’s really happening out there.

The research digs into how media often uses the term “alleged rape” when talking about women, but when it comes to accused men, it’s more like, “He strenuously denies the accusations.” It’s a subtle shift, but it shapes how we see the story—and who we believe.

Tranchese’s research also found that sometimes, the “rape element” of a story gets buried, with more focus on what the woman did or how she behaved, which can make it sound like she’s somehow to blame.

EVAW is clear on why this all matters: “The stories that get media coverage are powerful. They shape how the public understands rape and can reinforce harmful, sexist myths about who’s credible and who’s not.” And it’s not just about public opinion—these myths can make it harder for victims to recognize their own experiences as rape, which means they might not get the help and justice they deserve. Plus, it can influence how the legal system treats these cases.

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At SARSVL we welcome this research and the resource for journalists that it has created.  We already actively support the ‘This Ends Now’ an campaign which also protests against the passive victim-blaming reporting of incidents and, like ourselves, continues to raise awareness of the rise in sexual assault.