by Ted Vaden
The News & Observer
Published: 1/28/2007
Excerpt:
Should The News & Observer name the accuser in the Duke lacrosse case?
Not
now, certainly. Several readers have said the withdrawal last month of
rape charges against the three players removed the need for protection
of the accuser that the paper has provided so far. But serious charges
of sexual offense and kidnapping remain, and until those charges are
tried or dismissed The N&O's policy on sex crimes -- that it does
not identify complainants without their consent -- pertains.
But
the readers' inquiries do raise several interesting questions. What
happens if the Duke case is dismissed or the players are judged
innocent? Then would the paper name the accuser?
And a more
fundamental question: Why does the paper even have a policy against
naming sex crime complainants? Is it fair to name the accused and not
the accuser?
... By withholding names of felony victims, we contribute to the same
government secrecy that we often accuse public officials of committing. ...
One answer
comes from
Kelly McBride, ethics specialist with the Poynter Institute,
a professional development center for journalists in St. Petersburg,
Fla. She says papers need to find ways to educate the public about a
widespread but underreported societal issue. To tell those stories, she
said, newspapers should seek out victims willing to have their names
used.
More of this article...Search Google News for more quotes by Kelly McBride...
