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Handling the aftermath of protest coverage
The Institute spoke with several experts about journalists’ safety, their legal rights, and general tips for protest coverage. We'll share highlights from these conversations over the next several weeks.
A reporter’s psychological safety is equally as important as their physical, legal, or digital safety, said Bruce Shapiro, executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. And protecting your mental health is part of why it’s essential to plan in advance for how you’ll approach protest coverage if something does go awry while out reporting, he said.
“Anything that gives you a little more safety, a little more agency, a little more control, a little more connectedness with colleagues is also going to have deep psychological benefits on the far end,” he said. It’s also a good idea to add more self-care to your routine, he added.
If a journalist is targeted by a police officer, hit with a rubber bullet, arrested, or even just witnesses violence, “it’s really normal to feel jittery and distressed for a while after that,” Shapiro said. “Some people will, some people won’t, but it’s not a sign of a long-term mental health problem if you feel distressed, upset after an assault or after an arrest.”
Some issues that could arise like having nightmares, or feeling numb or sad often go away over the short term. But get professional help if they’re longer-lasting, he added.
And if you’re reporting on events involving people you know or people from a community you identify with, following these care tips is going to be all the more important, Shapiro said, given you’ll be at a greater risk of feeling distressed.
The biggest risk factor for feeling burnt out or developing PTSD is isolating yourself from others, he said.
Read more advice for staying safe while covering protests.
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