18. 10. 2004

Unacceptable reporting on child abuse case

BELGRADE, October 18, 2004 (Beta) – Media reporting on a recent case of sexual abuse of a two-month old baby has been unacceptable and irresponsible, say mental health officials. Mental Health Institute psychiatrist Oliver Vidojevic said that the reporting would have a negative and permanent effect on both the victim and the family. He alleged that the media had prematurely commented on unsubstantiated involvement of family members and published details which revealed the identity of the victim. “The identity of the baby was not mentioned, but it was enough to publish her initials, to mention the mother, her place of residence and the number of family members for everyone to know who is involved. They flagrantly violated the child’s rights,” said Vidojevic, who heads the Department of Child Rights at the institute. The indirect disclosure of the victim’s identity is in conflict with international and local codes of journalism ethics because the child is permanently stigmatised in public and in her residential environment. “This reporting is incorrect. Other family members and children have been presented as abusers in an unacceptably repugnant way and with unconfirmed information. All of this will have a permanent effect on them. How can they clear their name in such a small community?” said Vidojevic. None of the media outlets involved have issued any retraction or apologised for their reporting, added the psychiatrist. This, he said only exacerbates the poor impression of the responsibility of journalists. “These people don’t even have basic resources or knowledge to secure the legal protection of their rights. The media have been writing so badly about them because they are poor and are members of a national minority. I ask myself whether they would report in such a way on a politician who would take the issue to court,” said Vidojevic. Police should also pay more attention to protecting the identity of victims of domestic violence, he said. “The police must be very careful and follow a rigorous ethical code. Their press releases should only state the facts without revealing the identity of a child or family,” added the psychiatrist. The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy today described reporting on the case as a typical example of the violation of privacy and damage to the reputation and personal dignity of the child victim of sexual abuse. In a statement, the Ministry described as unacceptable the publication of the victim’s initials and further details which infringed the formal protection of identity and facilitated the complete identification of the child. The statement also notes that Clause 41 of the Public Information Act has been constantly breached. Under this clause, minors must not be identifiable in any information which could violate their rights and interests. It also notes that an analysis of daily newspapers demonstrates that the right of child victims to privacy and the protection of their interests have been breached in a large number of articles.