As soon as I decided to explore the topic of self-harm and the issues surrounding it, I knew that ethics and my responsibility as a journalist would be something I would have to be careful of and thoroughly consider throughout my entire project.
Self-harm is something that anyone can do, meaning everyone is vulnerable to being influenced. This makes it so important that the content we, the media, put out there for the public to view and learn from, isn’t something that could harm somebody’s mental health.
I decided to take a long look through many media guidelines online, including those from Time To Change, Ofcom and Samaritans. Since embarking on my project, I have ensured these guidelines have stayed close to hand so I can continually keep myself refreshed on the most responsible way to report on this topic. As my documentary is being based on the style of BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra Stories, I knew it was also essential for me to look into the BBC Editorial Guidelines on Harm and Offence.
The guidelines
Time To Change brought up some essential advice which I intend to abide by throughout my reporting process, including using specific language around suicide (e.g. avoiding the phrase ‘commit’) and refraining from sharing images of or related to self-harm so not to be triggering or cause distress.
One clause in The Ofcom Broadcasting Code I came across, that I felt was truly important, and was similarly written in many of the guidelines, was: ‘Methods of suicide and self-harm must not be included in programmes except where they are editorially justified’. Looking forward, I know my documentary and accompanying multimedia content will be reflecting on stories of self-harm and will include the feelings and emotions of those involved, which of course has the potential to be intrusive and triggering for listeners. This research of the guidelines reinstated my responsibility to select appropriate content for my audience, and also be careful to not retell stories that could be imitable, or that encourage or glamourise self-harm.
‘Suicide, attempted suicide and self-harm should be portrayed with sensitivity, whether in drama or in factual content’ was a line from the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines on Harm and Offence that I thought was important for me to keep in mind throughout this process, including during my upcoming interviews, where due care, empathy and sensitivity will have to be taken to ensure my practice is ethical and reasonable.
Ethics, especially in the media, is something that should not be looked upon lightly. With a topic so sensitive and emotive, my research soon made it clear to me that there is no room for ethical errors when reporting self-harm.