If it is about a television or radio programme, you should contact the station first and then Ofcom. If it is about a newspaper or magazine, you will need to report it to the Independent Press Standards Organisation. There are things you can do to try to stop unwanted media attention. If you’re the victim, this can seriously affect your life and make it even harder to cope with the stress and shock of the crime. Sometimes media attention can be intense – particularly after high-profile crimes such as murder or sexual assault. For example, you might say something that a court decides would make it impossible for the accused to get a fair trial, which could lead to the case being dropped. As a victim of crime, you also have to be careful about what you say publicly. With every type of crime, reporters have to be careful about what they report on, in case they say things that could affect the result of a trial in court.
And once a journalist has reported something you’ve said, it’s very hard to stop it being repeated across lots of other media. Once you’ve spoken to a journalist it’s usually impossible to take back what you have said. If you decide to go ahead with an interview, even if you think it is ‘off the record’ (when your identity, your source, or the information you’ve given should not be revealed), think very carefully about what you want to say. You can view the guide to these reporting restrictions on the Society of Editors website. With some types of crime (such as rape and sexual assault, and crimes involving children and young people) there are legal restrictions on what the media can and can’t report.
If you have a lawyer involved in your case they may also be able to give you advice on dealing with journalists.You can also talk to your Victim Support caseworker or to a member of the press team at Victim Support to find out more.If it’s a very serious or high-profile crime, police family liaison officers will be able to give you advice on how to deal with the media.There are a number of people you can talk to about your options: There are systems in place to help protect you, but there are some risks that you need to be aware of. If you’ve been affected by a crime and you’re getting calls or visits from the media as a result, you need to think about the pros and cons of speaking to the press before you talk to them.
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