Press Council issues media guidelines to protect child victims

The Press Council has issued a directive calling on media outlets and journalists to adhere to higher ethical and professional standards when reporting on cases of rape, harassment, and sexual assault involving children. The guidelines emphasize that the dignity, integrity, and privacy of the child victim must remain the priority.

To prevent direct or indirect identification, the Council advises against publishing names, photographs, voices, or personal data. It also warns against disclosing details regarding a child’s family, school, or social environment that could lead to stigmatization or retaliation. Journalists are urged to avoid sensationalism, shocking headlines, and intimate descriptions that might cause secondary victimization.

Furthermore, the directive stresses the importance of journalistic rigor, including verifying sources, distinguishing established facts from allegations, and respecting the presumption of innocence. The Council noted that revealing a child victim's identity may constitute an offense under Article 60 of Decree-Law 115 of 2011.