[Can’t] Delete: an intervention in mainstream news media representations of image-based sexual abuse

Abstract

Cases of image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) – the creation or distribution of private sexual or nude images – are on the rise across the world and internet, but the public does not understand this issue as a form of sexual violence. This is due in part to the role of journalists and the news media as the first site where the general audience hears about new issues. Research into IBSA has not considered the role of the news media to educate the public, so this article seeks to explore this gap through the creation of an experimental work of journalism. The creative component is an interactive journalism feature hosted on a website that offers the audience opportunities to engage with victim perspectives within the context of an explanatory journalism article about IBSA. This approach seeks to be an example for future journalism about sexual abuse and improve public understanding of IBSA.