2024.Mar.22

REPORTS

Report on the Trauma Reporting Study Group for 2023

In the 2023 academic year, the Trauma Reporting Study Group held a total of four sessions, including book club meetings and public lectures.

During the 19th session, we discussed Chapter 11, “The ethics,” from “Trauma Reporting: A Journalist’s Guide to Covering Sensitive Stories” by Jo Healey, leaving one chapter remaining.

In the 20th session, a member of the group, who is a journalist, presented on “Considering Reporting and Coverage of Male Survivors of Sexual Violence in Light of the Johnny Kitagawa’s sexual abuse scandal.” We discussed points of concern during press conferences, considerations when interviewing male survivors, and ways to protect survivors from online harassment after reporting.

For the 21st session, we hosted a study session with guest speaker Mameta Endo, who serves as the representative of “24zzz (Niji-zu),” a general incorporated association involved in creating safe spaces for LGBT children and youth, and also works as a staff member for an online petition site. During the session, we discussed topics such as the internet and its impact on the LGBT community, the advantages and disadvantages of online social movements, and the role of the internet in anti-discrimination movements. Additionally, we explored the disparities between what reporters consider as “news topics” and the lived experiences and consciousness of those directly involved.”

In the 22nd session, we held our first public lecture titled “Covering trauma: Building mental fitness for journalists” (with consecutive interpretation). The speaker was Dr. Cait McMahon, a psychologist from Australia. Dr. McMahon authored the “Self-care” chapter in “Trauma Reporting.” Having started her career as a counselor at a newspaper company in the 1980s and later pursued a career in academia, she is a leading expert on the intersection of trauma and journalists.

Although journalists’ personal traumas have not been adequately addressed in Japan, we believe that journalists confronting their own emotional pain and understanding the mechanisms of and responses to it will help them deeply understand others’ pain and lead to more accurate and sustainable reporting. With this in mind, we planned the lecture during Dr. McMahon’s visit to Japan.

At the University of Tokyo venue, members of the “Journalists’ Critical Incident Stress Research Group,” including Yutaka Matsui, Professor Emeritus of Tsukuba University, who is knowledgeable about disaster stress, also participated. The event was open to the public online, and registrants were provided with the archive video for watching it afterward. Participants included not only journalists but also mental health professionals, psychiatrists, undergraduate and graduate students, and a wide range of people from across Japan and abroad. The number of registered participants exceeded 250.

During the lecture, Dr. McMahon emphasized that experiencing trauma is not shameful, as it is a natural part of being human. She mentioned that although journalists generally have high resilience (psychological flexibility and recovery capabilities), the journey is not smooth. She pointed out that journalists can suffer significant damage not only when visiting disaster scenes but also when viewing horrendous videos or photos or receiving online abuse. She emphasized the importance of understanding threats and learning appropriate coping mechanisms. She then provided 11 specific coping strategies, including deep breathing, visualizing a calm and safe place from the past, questioning oneself about their mission and purpose such as why they wanted to be a journalist, and also some strategies to help them in case they experience recurring nightmares or online attacks.

The lecture, which lasted for over two hours, was dense and specific. Participants expressed feedback such as “I finally understood what really made me painful for the first time in my career as a journalist” and expressed a desire for the Trauma Reporting Study Group’s next events, indicating a high level of interest.

In the new academic year, we would like to plan another public lecture if possible.