PRESS RELEASE 3 August 2015 – 1 page
One Year After Sinjar: Protection of Survivors Must Always Come First On the occasion of the first anniversary of the terrorist attack on Sinjar and the genocidal campaign against the Yazidi people, therapists of the Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights encourage a reponsible handling of survivor stories in international media. Duhok – One year after the attack on Sinjar, hundreds of Yazidi women and girls have escaped enslavement and sexual violence by "Islamic State (IS)" terrorists to the safety of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. There, they face a flood of media inquiries asking for their personal stories. The Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights appeals for more sensitive and responsible interviewing approaches for these survivors. "As an NGO, we know how important it is to put a face to complex political events," says Ms. Shahla Husein, psychotherapist at the Jiyan Foundation. "Yet, the well-‐being and protection of our patients must always come first. Many traumatized persons are not able to fully understand what it means to be interviewed by the press. We as professionals must speak up for our clients and ensure their dignity." NGOs providing services to these survivors should create opportunities for safe, survivor-‐oriented interviews. Preparation before and support during and after the interview can help keep the survivor secure and safe. This is particularly important in the case of women and girls who have been subjected to severe sexual violence by "IS" terrorists. Media attention for these women and girls is important but often problematic. Interviewers have good intentions, but some reports and articles do more harm than good. Journalists can unintentionally trigger deep traumas and endanger the survivor by not maintaining the interviewee's anynomity. Jîyan is the Kurdish word for "life". The Jiyan Foundation supports survivors of human rights violations, promotes democratic values and defends fundamental freedoms in Kurdistan-‐Iraq. The Jiyan Foundation is supported by the German goverment, the European Union, MISEREOR, the United Nations, and private donors.
Press C ontact Salah Ahmad President Turmstrasse 21 10559 Berlin Germany Tel: +49 177 175 79 77 (Germany) Tel: +9 64 770 122 29 99 (Iraq) press@jiyan-‐foundation.org www.jiyan-‐foundation.org /jiyanfoundation