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PROTECTING THE VULNERABLE

One of the key features of self regulation is the special protection afforded to particularly vulnerable groups of people by the Code of Practice. This protection exists over and above that afforded by the law.

These groups include children, patients in hospitals, victims of sexual assault, innocent friends of those convicted of crime, people suffering at times of grief and shock, and individuals at risk of discrimination. Some of the ways in which the Code works to protect the vulnerable were illustrated by a number of important decisions by the Commission in 1998. Among recent upheld complaints were these.

Victims of sexual assault

A local newspaper's report of a Court case included details of a rape victim which potentially contributed to her identification. The Commission ruled that although no individual detail in the newspaper report would on its own have identified the victim, taken together the details (all of which were made available in a Court case) might have done so. This adjudication illustrates the way in which the terms of the Code do more to protect victims than the law does.

Innocent relatives and friends

A national Sunday newspaper intruded into a man's privacy by identifying him as the step-brother of a contract killer. The man was completely unaware of his brother's activities, and the Commission ruled that the story could have been written without identifying the complainant.

Intrusion into grief and shock

A Scottish newspaper intruded into the shock of man whose niece had died before he had officially been told of it. The Commission used the adjudication to remind all editors that it is not the job of reporters to break the news of a death to the family or friends of the person involved.

Children

A local newspaper intruded into the privacy of a child by outlining his medical condition, which had been mentioned during a Court case. The adjudication made clear that the Code exists to afford protection to the vulnerable even where material is in the public domain: in this case, the complainant's teenage son, particularly in view of his medical background, was such a vulnerable person and his medical details should have been omitted.

Privacy and private places

A magazine intruded into the privacy of a well known celebrity by publishing pictures of him worshipping in a Cathedral after the death of his wife. The Commission ruled that the pictures were clearly taken in a place 'where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy' and underlined that all journalists should respect the sanctity of individuals' acts of worship.

Discrimination

A national newspaper made pejorative references to a man's religion by describing him as 'silken tongued' and contained an irrelevant reference to the fact that he was Jewish. The Commission did not believe the reference to the man's religion had any relevance to the short profile, and that a number of references were clearly pejorative.

All these complaints - which are drawn to the attention of all editors through the Commission's quarterly bulletin - have helped further to raise standards of reporting and to give increased protection to vulnerable people.

Mental health

The Commission continues to work with a number of those groups involved in mental health to improve the way in which those suffering mental illness are portrayed in the media. To that end, the Commission joined in the launch of MIND's 'Campaign to Complain' at its Annual Conference in September 1998 - at which a number of representatives of the PCC explained the Code and the work of the Commission.

Making our service well known to those in need

As set out in this Report, the Commission goes to considerable length to ensure its services are as well know as possible to those in need. We therefore provide a special service for deaf and hard of hearing persons, for those whose first language is not English, and for people who are blind or have difficulty in seeing. The Commission's staff is always available to give advice and to assist people in making complaints.

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