Change begins at home
The fact that stigmatising and stereotypical depictions of people who use – or have used – drugs are so prevalent in the media causes real harm. This is the case both on a national level and even more so locally in our own communities, where issues are so much more personal. When it’s online, on social media, on our phones and in our homes, it’s hard to avoid.
At the Anti-Stigma Network we’ve been thinking about how we can affect change through specific, assertive and reasoned challenge. As an individual it can feel overwhelming to challenge national media on inaccurate and biased representations, and even as marketing and PR professionals it’s daunting. But from our experience a good place to make a start is with local media – the press, radio, TV and websites that serve local community interests. We’ve had significant success in changing stigmatising and overtly discriminating references to people who use, or have used, drugs and alcohol in local media.
Discriminatory narratives, language and images in relation to local issues can cause real harm in our communities, and inaccurate, sensationalised and unbalanced reporting marginalises people in the places they live, creating unnecessary fear and dividing neighbours.
We’d like to think local journalists and publications act responsibly at all times but we know that isn’t always the case. Local media needs to capture your attention, and simplistic headlines are a good way to do this. Local media’s business model, limited resources, and airtime and space constraints can all make it difficult to properly explore complex nuanced issues. An article may be edited before publication and perfectly responsible articles can have a sensationalist headline applied that undermines the content.
There’s good guidance for local media available, such as Adfam’s five key recommendations for journalists and editors at https://adfam.org. uk/influencing-for-change/mediatoolkit/5-key-recommendations.
There’s also an Editor’s Code of Practice. In terms of discrimination, the code’s point 12 states: ‘The press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual’s race, colour, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or to any physical or mental illness or disability’. While many people who use or have used drugs will be represented in these categories, there’s a tendency for drug and alcohol use to be presented as moral rather than health-related issues.
So, what can we do when we see a stigmatising article? Firstly, it’s best to act when the issue is live.
MONITOR AND RESPOND – Stay vigilant for instances of stigmatising depictions of substance use in local media, and be prepared to respond swiftly when the issue is still live. Whether it’s related to the opening of a treatment service, drug-related harms or any other local issue, if you can respond quickly you’ve got more chance of being heard.
WRITE TO THE EDITOR AND MAKE A COMPLAINT – You can find the editor’s contact details on the publication’s website.
IDENTIFY THE KEY ISSUES AND STATE THEM CLEARLY – What actually is the stigmatising representation you’re referring to? Is it the use of language, imagery, a lack of balance in the views of people quoted or a repeated false narrative? It can be harder to complain about the general tone of an article which may be open to interpretation, so be specific if you can.
ARE THERE SPECIFIC FACTUAL INACCURACIES IN THE ARTICLE? – Can you assertively highlight what’s wrong and refer to the facts?
ARE THE EXPERTS THEY’RE QUOTING ACTUALLY CREDIBLE?
DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF PERPETUATION OF THE STIGMA REPRESENTED IN THE ARTICLE – Will it stop support services being provided? Could it stop people from accessing support? Could it expose people to risk?
BE CLEAR IN WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN – For example, if it’s an online piece do you want the article to be edited, corrected, or removed all together? Would you like to propose a follow-up piece to add context?
GROUNDED IN REALISM – Ensure your complaint is reasoned, for example claiming that there are no harms to drug and alcohol use is not true and could be as harmful as a sensationalised story that provokes fear. Similarly, suggesting that there’s a simple and easy solution to drug and alcohol problems is generally not realistic or authentic.
Specific, assertive and reasoned challenge will generally be met with a positive response from local media, and changes can be made to mitigate harm when the issue is live. For more information on this topic and ideas on how you can lay the groundwork for more responsible reporting join the network for free for regular updates and events.