Publications
Analysis 2024
The analysis of media reporting on the problem of violence against women conducted by the group “Journalists Against Violence Against Women” for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024, covered all articles on this topic in electronic and print media, as well as on online portals.
The analysis points to changes observed in media reporting on this social issue during the observed period and highlights the main advancements compared to the group’s previous analyses, as well as the key challenges to media reporting that contributes to the prevention of violence against women.
Analysis 2019 – 2021
The analysis of media reporting on the issue of violence against women conducted by the group “Journalists Against Violence Against Women” for the period from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021, covered all publications in electronic and print media, as well as on online portals.
The analysis shows what changes were observed in media reporting on this social issue during the three-year period, where the most significant progress was achieved, and which aspects still require improvement in order for media reporting to contribute to the protection of victims and the eradication of violence.
Analysis 2020
The analysis of media coverage on the issue of violence against women conducted by the group Journalists Against Violence Against Women refers to the entire year of 2020.
The analysis included media articles from electronic and print media, as well as from online portals available through the Ebart media reporting archive.
Analysis 2019
The analysis of media publications on the issue of violence against women conducted by the group Journalists Against Violence Against Women covered the entire year of 2019.
The analysis included all articles in electronic and print media, as well as on online portals from the Ebart media reporting archive.
A portrait against a landscape
According to data from the Women Against Violence Network, at least 307 women were killed in Serbia by their husbands or intimate partners between 2010 and 2019. In this context, the media in Serbia play a powerful role.
As they represent the most common source of information used to monitor the prevalence of violence against women and its characteristics, the media simultaneously participate in shaping society’s attitudes toward this phenomenon.
The analysis of media reporting on the misuse of firearms in male violence against women serves as a starting point for the further work of the group Journalists Against Violence Against Women on this issue. Its aim is to increase awareness and reduce the misuse of firearms in cases of violence against women, domestic violence, and other forms of gender-based violence through concrete activities and cooperation with the media.
Guidelines for media reporting
The Guidelines are a practical guide for media professionals on how to contribute to the prevention of violence against women and educate the public through ethical and informed reporting on this issue.
The Guidelines were developed on the basis of several months of analysis and discussions conducted by the group “Journalists Against Violence Against Women,” established with the support of UNDP Serbia and the B92 Fund.
The aim of the Guidelines is to improve the quality of reporting on this topic, resolve dilemmas that journalists frequently encounter when covering this issue, and also to avoid—or at least reduce—the additional traumatization of women who have experienced violence, when gender-based violence is reported in the media.
Guidelines for ethical media reporting on suicide
Reporting on violence against women often also includes reporting on suicide, for example in cases where the murder of a woman is followed by the perpetrator’s suicide.
Media coverage of suicide carries additional weight, as it can very easily trigger intense emotions among audiences and lead to the emergence of suicidal thoughts. Sensationalism in reporting, inadequate approaches and inappropriate language contribute to the spread of stigma and prevent people in crisis from seeking help when they need it.
The Guidelines for Ethical Media Reporting on Suicide were prepared with the aim of helping journalists contribute, through their work, to a proper understanding of the complexity of suicide and to act preventively by raising awareness in the field of mental health. This guide offers concrete recommendations on how to report in an educational and preventive manner on specific cases, as well as on the phenomenon of suicide itself, how to ethically report on the misuse of firearms for suicide, and on cases of femicide followed by the perpetrator’s suicide.