AND RESOURCES FOR REPORTERS, EDITORS, & OTHER MEDIA PROFESSIONALS
Peace at Home Family Shelter has created this media guide as a resource for reporters and storytellers. The goal of any story related to domestic violence should be to promote public health and safety by increasing understanding and awareness of the complex realities of domestic violence.
It is important to remember that language matters when reporting on domestic violence and that minimizing, sensationalizing, or spreading innaccurate information about domestic violence does more harm to survivors and their families than good.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, sexual identity, race, ability, or socioeconomic status. To learn more about domestic violence, please visit our Domestic Violence Education page.
• threats of violence (through intimidation, through use of objects, etc.)
• physical or sexual violence
• screaming individuals
• fearful or cowering individuals
• people with apparent bruises, lacerations, open wounds, or any other physical injuries
• individuals that are being "silenced"
• crime scenes
• handcuffs, batons, or any other accessories used by law enforcement
Below are some examples of what NOT to use while covering stories related to Peace at Home and domestic violence:
