2008 Woodie Awards
IN THE LOOP: Covering a sensitive story with anonymity
Editorial BoardA 21-year-old woman was sexual assaulted in her home near Whitworth Nov. 1.
The Whitworthian has covered the crime as events surrounding it have unfolded, from the suspect's arrest to his recent appearance before a Spokane County Superior Court judge.
Our sources for information about the sexual assault for these articles have been news releases from the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, Sgt. Dave Reagan and official court documents.
Along with our coverage of the criminal proceedings, we are also examining the resources and procedures available to victims of sexual assault at Whitworth and in the Spokane community.
The Whitworthian will continue to cover this story. Though the victim is not a Whitworth student, she is a member of the Whitworth community by the association of her housemates and proximity to campus. This situation relates to the safety of our community.
The story is relevant because both the victim and the suspect are local college students and the issue of sexual assault (statistically) is especially pertinent to college students.
According to a National Criminal Justice Reference Service study about sexual assault on college campuses, just under 3 percent of all college women become victims of rape or attempted rate in a given academic year. When projected over a 5-year college career, one in five women experience rape while in college. In most of these cases (around 80 to 90 percent) the victim and assailant know each other.
In a recent interview, Director of the Health and Counseling Center Jan Murray said the Health Center has previously dealt with sexual assault cases.
Throughout our coverage we will continue to report all issues confidently but responsibly and to make judgments based on the news values of a situation, common sense and decency.
For these reasons and to protect the victim from further emotional harm, The Whitworthian has made a decision not to identify her.
Anonymity is given if there is evidence that physical, emotional or financial harm will come to the source if he or she is revealed.
This decision is based on our ethical principles which compel practicing sensitivity and respect toward those who have experienced a traumatic situation and may be adversely impacted by coverage.
This decision to preserve the victim's anonymity means all members of The Whitworthian staff, particularly those covering the situation, are responsible for protecting the victim in our coverage. Only if the victim agrees to be named will we publish that information.
This also means we will strive not to print information that will identify the victim, including her address and the names of her housemates, even if other media choose to do so.
We encourage students to familiarize themselves with the resources and procedures available to them for these situations (see "Resources available for rape victims").
Any questions or concerns about this coverage should be addressed to the editor-in-chief who can be reached by e-mail at editor@whitworthian.com or by phone at (509) 777-3248.
Editorials in the "In the Loop" section reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of five editors.
For this reason, The Whitworthian asks readers to be responsible and respectful in any comments posted. The responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not the whitworthian.com. Readers are also encouraged to report questionable comments by e-mailing editor@whitworthian.com.
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