My Story My Dignity

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Watch our video with experts from experience.

Too often we speak on behalf of survivors of slavery. In the videos above we’ve let them do the talking instead. You will see these survivors tell us directly why this issue is important to them and what they want you to do about it.

The media relies upon strong stories and eye-catching images when writing about modern slavery. Raising awareness of the issues and the prevalence of modern slavery is essential, but so often, as survivors of slavery tell us, the images and language used to tell these stories do not reflect them accurately or in a dignified way.

Together with our partners Chab Dai, HAART Kenya and Liberty Asia, we are calling on media organizations to review their style guides as a first step of improving the way that modern slavery and survivor stories are presented in the media.

We are starting with four of the largest English-language media organizations in the world – Associated Press, The New York Times, The Daily Mail and The Guardian – to ask that they adopt and endorse guidance on how they use survivors’ stories to write about and report on modern slavery, setting the tone across the media.

1 – Choosing respectful images and text.
2 – Selecting images and text that are representative of the issue.
3 – Respecting survivors’ right to privacy and dignity.
4 – Obtaining prior consent to use the story, being transparent and accurate

Sign our petition to help give every survivor’s story the dignity it deserves.

Want to know more? Read Chab Dai and Liberty Asia’s full Guidance Note on how survivors’ images and stories should be presented here, or else check out our version for media houses here.

Watch Sophie Otiende.

Watch Rebecca Bender.

Watch James Kofi Annan.

Watch Rebekah Charleston.

Watch our partners at Chab Dai.

Video distribution consent given by James Kofi Annan, Rebecca Bender, Rebekah Charleston and Sophie Otiende.