From victim-blaming to shockingly intrusive, the reporting has been painful to observe – so I’m writing to regulators
- Nicole Jacobs is the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales
The media coverage in recent weeks of the deaths of a number of women in Britain has been difficult and painful to read and watch. Not only have the families of these women and young girls had to cope with the unimaginable – the double domestic homicide of a mother and daughter, the death of a teenager and the disappearance and death of a woman out walking her dog – but they have also had to cope with damaging and irresponsible coverage by some in the media.
At its very worst, this coverage has been sensationalist and victim blaming. A few weeks ago, the headteacher Emma Pattison and her husband were found dead with their daughter, Lettie. Detectives are examining the possibility George Pattison killed his wife and daughter before killing himself. I was horrified to see headlines, such as this one on MailOnline, that reveal deeply gendered and damaging stereotypes: “Did living in the shadow of this high-achieving wife lead to unthinkable tragedy?” it read. “Husband of Epsom College head ‘who killed her and their daughter before turning the gun on himself’ said he was ‘desperate to do more with his days’ after his business failed,” read another on the same website.
Nicole Jacobs is the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales
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