Media Guide: Reporting on Sexual Violence

Journalists do so much more than report the facts. They’re frontline educators and cultural narrators. And when the news media reports on sexual violence responsibly, they shape awareness, shift attitudes, and save lives. 

The Impact

Poorly chosen words can:

• Perpetuate myths and misinformation
• Assign blame to the victim
• Enable perpetrators to avoid accountability
• Deter survivors from seeking support or reporting

Thoughtful reporting can:

• Validate the lived experiences of survivors
• Encourage help-seeking
• Clarify the facts
• Advance social understanding and legal reform

7 Guidelines for Responsible Coverage

The following recommendations are supported by RAINN’s experts and these trusted media leaders:

• Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma: Trauma-informed reporting guides
• Columbia Journalism Review: Case studies on ethics and coverage
• Poynter: Ethics training for newsrooms

1. Consider “Survivor” vs. “Victim”

Both terms are valid, but context and preference matter. RAINN recommends asking story subjects which term they prefer whenever possible.

• “Survivor” reflects resilience. Consider “survivor” when referring to someone who previously experienced sexual violence or in general contexts.

• “Victim” reflects a specific crime. Consider “victim” in legal or recent incident contexts (e.g., “the victim reported the assault to police”).

2. Specify the Issue

• In non-legal contexts: Use “sexual violence” as a broad, non-legal term that includes sexual assault, rape, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment.
• In legal contexts: Use legal terminology—like “rape” or “sexual battery”—when referencing a specific case. You can verify these definitions using RAINN’s State Law Database.

3. Avoid Minimizing the Crime

• Skip outdated terms. Phrases like “date rape” or “acquaintance rape” can imply that rape is less harmful if the perpetrator is known. Because the vast majority of offenders are known to their victims, it is accurate to state clearly: “She was raped by someone she knew,” or “A classmate raped him.”

• Avoid euphemisms. When a crime has (or may have) occurred, replace softening terms like “incident” or “alleged encounter” with clear terms like “sexual assault” or “alleged sexual assault.”

• Focus on facts. Use “perpetrator” or “offender” to describe a person who committed a crime. Specify the offender/victim relationship factually—and only when that information is relevant to the case. “Sexually abused by a family member” is factual; “abused by someone he trusted” is speculative.

4. Honor the Story Subject’s Humanity

• Privacy. Do not name survivors without their explicit, informed consent.
• Prevention. Avoid revealing identifying details that could lead to doxxing or harassment.
• Protection. Don’t include gratuitous details about the assault that may re-traumatize or sensationalize.

When in doubt, protect the survivor’s dignity above narrative drama.

5. Apply Context

Do not focus on what the survivor wore, drank, or where they were. These details often fuel harmful stereotypes and minimize the perpetrator’s actions. Instead, explore the cultural and systemic context—social identities, power dynamics, economic privilege, and access to justice all play a role.

Ask questions like:

• What societal norms or systems enabled the harm?
• Were there prior reports or patterns of perpetration?
• How is the survivor seeking justice or healing?

6. Include Data & Resources

Provide relevant statistics, like these:

Link to or list support resources such as:

• RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• NCMEC’s CyberTipline for reporting child sexual exploitation

Clear, Compassionate, & Responsible

When reporting prioritizes precise, trauma-informed language, it educates the general public, challenges harmful myths, and promotes empathy and intervention. 

Use these examples for guidance:

Contact RAINN for Expert Input

For interviews, facts, or questions about appropriate language, contact: media@rainn.org

This work matters. Please do it with care.