Reporting rape: PCCSL urges strict adherence to Editors' Code

In reporting accounts of crime or criminal case, publications shall not name victims of sex crimes, unless it is both legally permitted and in the public interest, the statement added.

The Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka Secretariat (PCCSL) has called upon newspaper editors and journalists to adhere to the spirit of the Editors' Code in the publication of photographs of rape victims, identifying them and their places of residence and giving excessive details in reporting the crime and subsequent court proceedings.

The PCCSL Secretariat in a statement issued this week said it had received complaints from the general public objecting to what they say is “insensitive coverage” of these cases, particularly the Punguduthivu rape and murder of a schoolgirl.

The statement added that the PCCSL Secretariat had referred these complaints to the editors of the concerned newspapers subscribing to the self-regulatory system with reference to the provisions of the Editor’s Code on General Reporting, Writing and Privacy.

These provisions relate to dealing with social issues of a particularly shocking or emotionally painful nature – such as atrocity, violence, drug abuse, brutality, sadism, sexual salacity and obscenity – the press taking special care to present facts, opinions, photographs and graphics with due sensitivity and discretion, subject to its duty to publish in the public interest.

The statement said the onus of showing how the ‘Public Interest’ is served is with the newspaper.

In reporting accounts of crime or criminal case, publications shall not name victims of sex crimes, unless it is both legally permitted and in the public interest, the statement added.

The PCCSL Secretariat has pointed out to editors that particular care should be taken to ensure that in cases involving grief or shock, inquiries and approaches are handled with sensitivity and discretion.