The Deputy Editor of the Eagle Online, Ms Juliana Francis, has trained some Nigerian journalists on the basic and responsible ways of reporting issues relating to suicide and trauma.
The one-day virtual training with the theme: ‘Rudiments Of Reporting Suicide and Trauma,’ was supported by the Idimma Health Initiative, Child Solidarity Group and the US Consulate General.
The training, which took place on the 23rd of February 2024, was aimed at equipping journalists with the methodology of reporting suicide and trauma, which is otherwise called Safety Reporting.
Ms. Joan Yakubu, The Executive Director of Mad About You (MAY), anchored the virtual training. Yakubu is also an On-Air Personality.
The Executive Director of Idimma Health Initiative, Aisha Bubah, a psychologist, who gave the welcoming remark, explained that the virtual training was Francis’s
step-down training which was a requirement for the training carried out by Idimma Health Initiative and Child Solidarity Group, supported by the US Consulate General in December 2023.
According to Bubah, journalists play important roles in society by what they report, which was why her organisation Child Solidarity Group and the US Consulate General were on a project to train as many journalists as possible on how to report suicide and trauma so that such reports will help to enlighten and educate the masses.
According to Bubah, it was important for journalists to cultivate the culture of using the right terminologies and approaches while reporting suicide.
She also stressed the need for journalists to speak with certified psychologists on mental health issues while carrying out their reportage to create balance.
Francis, who explained that the proper and acceptable ways of reporting suicide were also called Safe Reporting, opined that suicide stories should be reported without an attempt at glamorizing.
According to her, glamourizing suicide can lead to copycats, which means that it can cause readers or an audience, struggling with mental health challenges, to copy the methodology of the manner a victim kills herself or herself.
She further explained that Safe Reporting is a specialized and responsible way of reporting sensitive topics such as suicide, trauma, Sex and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), and human trafficking, among others.
Francis emphasised the importance of avoidance of the use of visuals of dead bodies in stories about suicide.
She urged journalists to be “sensitive and empathic while reporting suicide by avoiding photos or videos of the suicide incident and to avoid providing details of a suicide note if there was one.”
She advised journalists to be deliberate in including information about support services and resources in stories about suicide. She also stated that it was vital to include information on how to prevent suicide and also stories about people who attempted and survived suicide.
Speaking on the need for journalists to practice self-care while covering sensitive stories, Francis mentioned that journalists could develop secondary trauma in the process of reporting such subject matters.
She said: “Journalists must learn to put their mental health first. No matter how busy your schedule, you must take care of your mental health, so that it doesn’t lead to other complications like secondary trauma.
“Self-care is crucial in this situation because it maintains the mental well-being of an individual. One should ask for assistance when necessary, especially professional assistance.”
She told the participants to think of their overall mental health and well-being when they think of self-care.
She added: “Start thinking of how to relax, to destress from your busy days. Do things that make you happy. Do not be too focused on work to avoid secondary trauma.
“We need to balance our private lives with our working lives. Don’t let your working lives take all of your time. At least give yourself between six to eight hours of relaxation with your family.
“Don’t be too busy to put yourself first. If you collapse, the job goes on. The media firm will not stop functioning because you stopped functioning. Ensure you eat well and avoid psycho-active drugs.”
Francis said that it was very easy for journalists suffering secondary trauma to fall into the habit of taking psycho-active drugs because of feeling tired, drained and lacklustre.
“These feelings will make a journalist want to take substances that will energise and excite. You should avoid drugs because getting into them is easier, but jettisoning it can be tough. You’re stronger than the needs. Forged a closer relationship with friends and family. Take breaks from work, and go on annual leave. Do not negotiate your annual leave. Such breaks will help you not to break down or experience burnout. Annual leave is not a privilege, it’s your right,” said Francis.
She also advised journalists to be intentional about seeking professional help for the care of their mental health. She said that the professionals will be able to tell and guide journalists on what to do.
She further urged journalists to synergise with their organisations to partner with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) which are into mental health care, to put the journalist on biannual or annual checks.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are at least 20 unsuccessful attempts for every completed suicide. In Nigeria, the age-standardised suicide rate was 6.9 per 100,000 population in 2019, across both sexes, however, male suicide rates were higher at 10.1 per 100,000 population.
Available evidence suggests that Nigeria’s suicide rate of 17.3 per 100,000 stands above the global 10.5 per 100,000 and that of Africa’s 12.0 per 100,000 estimates.
