375: Is It Ever Ethical to Photograph a Trafficking Survivor?
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What does “ethical duty of care” mean for journalists covering trafficking?
The idea that toбі chaste. Handcuffed? And then questioned.
How should journalists handle consent with trauma survivors – beyond a release form?
Is somehow supposed to make you feel like you're in good hands and We really are here for you. It doesn't compute.
Why is the word “rescue” problematic when describing trafficking recovery?
After the New York Times published images from Figueroa Street, advocates asked, was legal consent enough to prevent harm? In this conversation, Sandy Morgan and journalist Nina Alvarez use that question as a starting point for a deeper conversation. Nina reflects on ethical duty of care, the lasting life of images, and why stories about trafficking require more than just good intentions. Her goal is not to hand down a checklist, but to invite journalists, advocates, and listeners into a more careful conversation. Hi, I'm Alicia, I'm a student here at Vanguard and I help produce the show. Today, Sandy talks with Nina Alvarez, a journalist, documentarian, video photographer, and professor of international journalism at Columbia Journalism School.
And now, here's their conversation.
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking Podcast, Nina Alvarez. Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here.
What key questions should editors ask before publishing survivor stories?
I have been following you now for a little while and your work as a journalist, uh documentarian, video photographer, and you're also a professor of international journalism at the Columbia Journalism School. What does that part of your life look like? How do I get to take a class with you?
Well, you apply to Columbia Journalism School and voila you get in and you can decide if you wanna take a video course with me or covering immigration, which is what I'm currently Teaching?
How can journalists protect sources and images long after publication?
And we have wonderful students coming in from all over the country as well as internationally, although that has suffered a bit of a setback in the last year. But but it's a wonderful student body who are excited about journalism, even though we're ha going through a rough time with legacy media suffering major hits, taking major hits and shrinking in some places. But I see other opportunities coming up in independent journalism and community based journalism that's really important.
Mm. I just took a class on a study abroad in Greece, and we worked with a group called Humanitarian Bridges, downtown Athens in a refugee center, and then made trips to refugee camps remote three to four hours outside of Athens.
What misconceptions do media narratives create about trafficking, and how can they be changed?
And the stories The understanding that my students received in person. uh just can't be replicated in in the classroom. So we keep working on these issues and we have it right here in Orange County. So we want to fulfill our our reach model here at the Global Center, which is research, education, advocacy, collaboration to build hope. So locally, all the way to a global impact. So I'm really very pleased to bring your voice to our podcast community. Thank you. Thank you.
How can organizations and journalists collaborate responsibly with survivors?
So let's dig right in, and I want to tell people, I want you to read the article that we're going to talk about. Uh Nina wrote an amazing piece around the theme of ethical duty of care. And while the story that she reflects on is from Los Angeles in a part of our community that is known for highly exploiting, particularly young women, but also young men. Read the story, but we're going to talk beyond that.
What actionable steps can listeners take to support ethical reporting on human trafficking?
And I'm fairly certain that this podcast will end up in our anti-human trafficking. certificate coursework for sure in the ethics class, but talk about first, what do you mean by the ethical duty of care from a journalist's perspective?
The ethical duty of care Is Really focusing on what will be the impact. On the individual that is participating In your story. First of all, do they understand that they are indeed participating in a story? that is going to have the kind of reach that the New York Times has and that it's a permanent Story that it is going to live online for a very, very, very long time. That it is not something that is erasable. And so, does the person understand what this? Means. And are they in the position to actually provide the consent? And consent is not necessarily A release form that's just one piece of it, right? A release form is a document. But консенттись а прос.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What does “ethical duty of care” mean for journalists covering trafficking?
0:00–0:08
2
How should journalists handle consent with trauma survivors – beyond a release form?
0:08–0:25
3
Why is the word “rescue” problematic when describing trafficking recovery?
0:25–1:21
4
What key questions should editors ask before publishing survivor stories?
1:21–2:02
5
How can journalists protect sources and images long after publication?
2:02–2:59
6
What misconceptions do media narratives create about trafficking, and how can they be changed?
2:59–3:46
7
How can organizations and journalists collaborate responsibly with survivors?
3:46–4:28
8
What actionable steps can listeners take to support ethical reporting on human trafficking?
4:28–44:31