A Mount Royal University journalism student won praise from World Press Freedom Canada for reporting about a sexual assault survivor who was silenced, awarding her a student achievement certificate of merit.
The journalism organization, which champions press freedom in Canada and globally, lauded Heather Johnston’s determination for “badgering the Calgary police department — moving from one unhelpful person to the next until she found someone to verify the details” in her story.
As part of Johnston’s advanced reporting course, she spent three months interviewing a woman who endured torturous assaults and then agonizing legal proceedings, resulting in the story “Breaking through the Silence” published earlier this year.
Johnston told World Press Freedom Canada that she pursued a “trauma-informed, solutions-based” journalism to report her story, telling her source that she was “not simply chasing a story, but was there to share their stories.”
The journalism student also connected the sexual assault survivor with services where appropriate and stayed in touch after publication.
Johnston’s 2,000-word article also examined proposed legislation that could toughen bail requirements and jail terms for violent and repeat offenders of sexual assault, and captured the women’s view that leniency did not reflect the gravity of the crimes.
“While this may help some survivors, advocates say sexual violence is a societal issue shaped by misconceptions, stigma and systemic barriers,” wrote Johnston. “Some survivors are silenced before they can even enter the legal system, let alone get justice for their assaults.”