Rethink Resources

I haven’t posted while this whole scandal broke out the past couple of weeks. I tried to stay from it actually. Like many people who work directly with people involved in the sex trade when the media gets a hold of a story about prostitution - I want to run in the other direction.

Now this is a dilemma in some ways because I do believe engaging with the news media is an important tool in making change. You can get a message out, share successes and encourage people to take action. However having a plan of action and a strategy is crucial. Otherwise if you simply let the media guide your conversation and the message, let’s just say I’ve been disappointed with the results.

And here’s a standard image that news media outlets like to use:

If it’s a description of a Craigslist arrest, we usually get a screenshot of a random ad or a barely disguised picture from the ad. I’ve had to talk photographers out of taking random photos of women walking down the street to depict a story on prostitution.

What I understand to be real never seems to make it to the media. Some of that is necessary by confidentiality and that’s good. It’s just that it takes more time to do a really good story and most reporters want a quick fix. And a good story can be taken apart by editors and pushed aside because of something deemed more pressing. Even if you try to explain yourself, the message can be misunderstood or twisted in some way.

The incessant need to portray “the other side” is really irritating. I say youth are amazing at taking care of themselves and the journalist immediately locates someone else who says youth are incapable of decision-making. Also I know journalists are really into talking directly with youth and don’t realize the implications of youth disclosing so much or outing themselves on camera or in print. I wince everytime I see a younger person (even someone under 20) talking about their experiences in the sex trade as a teen on camera or with their name and identifying details attached. It can be powerful. But I think that’s only possible when youth are framing their own stories and making their own media.

I do believe media engagement, analysis and, even more so, independent media creation must be part of any strategy for change. I hope that everyone takes the news items found here and here with a grain of salt and asks more questions before believing the story as portrayed. And give you some ideas about how to respond the next time the media gets a hold of a story.