“I just wanted to be heard”: The experiences of sexual abuse survivors interviewed by journalists

Background: Disclosure of sexual abuse and its impact on survivors are areas that have been researched extensively. Although research has explored trauma survivor experiences of interacting with the media, there are gaps in the research examining the experiences of sexual abuse survivors. Trauma-Informed Journalism guidelines have been developed from research, offering journalists practical ways for engaging with trauma survivors in ethical and sensitive ways. Sexual abuse survivors face specific psychological and social challenges that may differ from those of trauma survivors. Therefore, there is a need for research that focuses on their experiences in speaking to journalists. Aim: The research aimed to explore the experiences of sexual abuse survivors being interviewed by journalists in the UK. Research questions focused on the motivations of survivors when speaking out to journalists, the impact of being interviewed and participants’ suggestions for future journalistic interviews. Methods: Sexual abuse survivors were recruited through the distribution of the study poster by a media support organisation and word of mouth through participants of the study. 15 individuals who self-identified as sexual abuse survivors with experience of being interviewed by journalists, participated in semi-structured interviews. Results: Reflexive Thematic Analysis was used to interpret four themes from the interviews with survivors: Interviews create purpose and empowerment, An act of collaboration, Challenges faced in the interview process, “Treat them as a person, not a story”: improving survivor experiences in interviews. Conclusions: Survivors highlighted various journalistic practice that mirrored the sexual abuse, and aspects of interviews that supported or hindered their healing. The themes suggest that changes in journalistic practice, understanding and education in trauma are required to meet the individual needs of sexual abuse survivors. Further research investigating the views of journalists on themes from this study is needed to explore ways to implement practical changes.