Best Practices for Interviewing Survivors of Sexual Violence 

As stories of sexual violence continue to make headlines, journalists play a critical role in shaping how these experiences are understood and remembered. 

Interviewing a survivor is an act of trust. Handled well, it can elevate public understanding and honor a survivor’s voice. Mishandled, it can cause harm and retraumatize.

Here are best practices to guide your approach with care, empathy, and professionalism.

Before the Interview: Prepare With Intention

• Understand the story you’re telling. Clarify your editorial goals and how the survivor’s perspective fits in. If you’re reporting on untested rape kits, for example, seek out someone with firsthand experience of a forensic exam.

• Determine exclusivity and prior coverage. Confirm whether the survivor’s story has already been published. If your newsroom requires exclusivity, set expectations upfront.

• Know the legal landscape. Does your outlet require a conviction or official report to run a survivor’s story? Is there a pending legal case that could complicate coverage?

• Discuss anonymity. Some survivors prefer to remain anonymous, while others may want their full names published. Ask for their preference and clearly outline your newsroom’s policy.

Starting the Interview: Build Trust Early

• Be transparent. Explain how the survivor’s interview fits into the story. Are they the main subject or one voice among many?

• Set a time frame. Let the survivor know how long the interview will take. Remind them that they can pause or stop at any time.

• Outline your questions. Review topics at the start and offer sample questions if possible. If recording for broadcast, explain to the survivor that you may repeat certain questions in order to capture usable soundbites.

• Clarify editorial control. Let the survivor know if others will edit their quotes or if parts of the interview could be cut. If you can, offer to share the survivor’s quotes with them for review and approval before publication.

• Flag fact-checking needs. Will you need to speak with law enforcement, the accused, or others? Be upfront about any verification steps you’ll need to take so the survivor can make an informed choice about participation.

During the Interview: Center Empathy & Respect

• Let survivors speak for themselves. Avoid paraphrasing that may generalize or distort. Survivors should describe their experiences in their own words.

• Avoid assumptions. Don’t presume to understand what the survivor did or how they feel. Everyone’s journey through trauma and healing is different.

• Mirror their language. Ask whether they prefer “victim” or “survivor.” Respect their terminology—it reflects their identity and healing process.

• Honor their boundaries. Ask if any topics are off-limits. Affirm that they’re not obligated to answer every question.

Ending the Interview: Express Gratitude and Support

• Say thanks. Simple, sincere phrases like “Thank you for sharing this—it means a lot” or “I’m sorry this happened to you” can go a long way.

• Don’t offer advice. Instead of telling a survivor what to do—“You should report this” or “Try therapy”—offer to share resources if they’re open to them.

• Invite closing thoughts. Ask if there’s anything they want to add. Survivors may have insights that didn’t surface through direct questioning.

• Explain what comes next. Let them know when the story will publish and follow up with a link if possible.

When You Write: Include RAINN’s Support Messaging

Whether in an article footer or a chyron, providing RAINN as a resource helps survivors in your audience find support: