The case that made the Committee on the Rights of the Child speak up is the report of 4 May on the case of sexual abuse of a minor at the hands of his father. The public was, for no reason whatsoever, informed about the abuse and misfortune the child lived in to the tiniest detail and the Committee is of the opinion that the media paid no heed to the damaging consequences this type of reporting might have on the victim.

This is not the first instance of abuse of privacy of the victim in the media and consequently abuse of the media code and human dignity itself.

Since the media plays a key role in fighting domestic violence and especially child abuse, we believe that reports should focus on protecting the victim and bringing to light problems which should not be wept under the carpet, not on how to use misfortune to boost sales.

Therefore, the Committee calls on the Government’s Council for the Prevention of Domestic Abuse, Ombudsman, Commissioner for Protection of Equality and the Press Council (as an independent body comprising editors, media proprietors and journalists) to react and prevent sensationalist reporting on instance of child abuse.