In order to advance in overcoming gender violence, it is essential to put an end to isolating gender violence, which requires clarifying and ratifying the institutional and media complicities that sustain it.
When one or more victims report sexual harassment in a company or institution, a very effective way to re-victimize and isolate them is for the harassers to file complaints in this company or institution. This fact filters to some of the few journalists willing to be accomplices looking for sensationalism or their own protection against such complaints.
The company or institution may maintain its anonymity, citing the confidentiality of the complaints and the supposed protection of anonymity needed by the harassers. The complicit journalist can maintain the anonymity of his sources by claiming his freedom of expression as a media professional.
In this way, the worst attacks and lies can be disseminated to a very wide audience. In addition, there is the perverse strategy of repeating a slander a thousand times so that something remains as the supposed truth. Thus, victims are isolated, re-victimized and those who have supported them are destroyed. In addition to setting an example to the rest of the community so that no one dares to denounce and, especially, to support a victim who denounces.
The movement against gender-based violence is growing internationally and most communication professionals are acting with ethical excellence and great professionalism.
The complicities that a few have had with isolating gender violence are becoming increasingly clear. Therefore, decisive steps are being taken to protect victims and enable them to become survivors.
