N.C.F.C. and others condemn Reporter photo
Yesterday, News Five looked at the sensational and, as it turns out false, reporting of an incident on Euphrates Avenue. A stranger picked a child up in his arms and then let her go when she started screaming and a shopkeeper ordered him to drop the child. The Reporter newspaper reported the incident, incorrectly quoting witnesses as saying there was a rape attempt in the bushes. The accompanying editorial lambasted the police for their failure to charge the “sex crazed madman.” While the errors in the story speak for themselves, and the editorial certainly played on public fears, there is another issue of equal importance: that of protecting the child from further trauma. Although the Reporter followed a long standing media practice of omitting the child’s name to protect her identity they printed her picture, on the front page no less. The photo has prompted a heated response from the police, the Ministry of Human Development and the National Committee for Families and Children. They say it is not only outrageous, but illegal. The Reporter says they do not consider the child a victim, but a hero who should be glorified. We will show you the picture in question but we have obscured the child’s face in keeping with company policy.
Eva Middleton, Acting Director, N.C.F.C.
“It is an outrage. That is totally against the rights of a child. A child’s picture within a newspaper where there is a negative headline will definitely make that child a target.
The simplified version of the Families and Children Act, this book states that the children have a right to privacy. And when our children are in trouble, may it be that they are the perpetrators or the recipient of any sort of problem, protect and make it anonymous when it comes to the general public. Things on behalf of children should be done behind closed doors. So for us, we from N.C.F.C. would like to see the perpetrator’s picture/photograph as the headline. So that other children can be aware of whom to be afraid of. And where is this big boogie man that I need to run away from or this boogie woman.”
However, the Reporter newspaper defends its use of the photo, taking the stance that the little girl is not a victim, but a hero.
Harry Lawrence, Publisher, The Reporter
“The child’s picture added to the importance of what’s happening in our city. Galvanizes the community, there is a social problem. Young children are being molested, are being stalked and it is time that the community decided to do something about it.
The little girl should be recognized as a role model for other little children. She should not be painted into a corner as some kind of victim.”
Eva Middleton
“The headline did not say that. As far as I am concerned, the headline stated “Child Molester Freed after Rape Attempt”. With children, that’s what they see, “rape attempt” and I did not read that in the article. Perhaps if the headlines had said, “Child Hero” that’s different from saying “Child Molester”. I still feel that this child, a photograph of this child should not have been printed in the newspaper.”
Harry Lawrence
“This child is not a victim. At least, you may say that she’s been a victim of an assault. Violent assault, you may be able to say that but she’s certainly is no sexual victim which is what the law covers.”
Janelle Chanona
But don’t you have here “rape attempt” isn’t that a “sexual” victim?
Harry Lawrence
“That doesn’t make her a victim. It says rape attempt. Somebody tried to abduct that child and the evidence that the eye-witnesses say would suggest that this guy wanted to have some kind of sexual relationship with the child.”
Despite the Reporter‘s point of view, the National Committee for Families and Children (N.C.F.C.) has sent them a letter condemning the use of pictures in cases like this. Police Press Officer, Christy Castillo has also sent a letter to the Reporter. She focuses primarily on the Reporter‘s editorial which criticizes the Police’s handling of the case, but she told News Five she hopes the Reporter can do their job of covering the news “within the laws of this country.” She will ask all media houses to put the welfare of the children above their need for sensationalism.
Christy Castillo, Police Public Relations Officer
“The Police Department is issuing a statement to all the media houses to let’s remember what’s in the Families and Children’s Act and to remember that is illegal, to print things against minors, whether they are victims or detainees. And victims of any age, anybody is assaulted in any way, especially rape victims or cases like this, we need to keep the person’s name and picture out of the papers. This is not something our Police Department will uphold in any way.”
Besides the Police, the Ministry of Human Development says the press and the public must protect the children.
Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development
“Belize as you know is a signatory to the Convention of the Rights of a Child. We take our responsibilities under that treaty as well as our own national laws, the Families and Children Act very very seriously. My input here today is not just to condemn but it’s really to educate, because we really need to send out the message to the general public, loud and clear, that children have to be protected. And I want to make a special appeal to all members of the media not to use this kind of journalism.”
Eva Middleton
“As far as breaking the laws, I would say, yes, we need to be a lot more responsible and if people are breaking the laws, they need to be consequences for such things.”
