NEW MEDIA GUIDE COMBATS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN NEVADA

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Reno, Nevada (October 6, 2009) – Family Court Judge Chuck Weller, the Nevada Press Association, the Nevada Broadcasters Association, the Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence, Clark County’s Safe Nest and Washoe County’s Committee to Aid Abused Women announced today the release of a media guide for reporting on domestic violence stories.

The guide, Covering Domestic Violence: A Guide for Informed Media Reporting in Nevada, was released in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is recognized in October.

“Like every family court judge, I deal daily with families and individuals suffering from domestic violence,” said Judge Weller, the author of the guide.  “This media guide is a tool for combating this terrible social problem.”

The guide reflects the findings of more than a dozen scholarly studies on the reporting of domestic violence. 

“These studies shows that distribution to editors and reporters of the information contained in this guide can be a spark that helps to ignite improved reporting,” said Judge Weller. “These studies also show that improved reporting results in a better informed public, which in turn leads to better informed policy makers and better legislation.”

"Judge Weller has designed the guide to be useful and informative for reporters and editors,” said Barry Smith, Executive Director of the Nevada Press Association.  “It provides sources and resources for breaking news, and ideas to add depth to the coverage. Whether reporters are working on a domestic-violence story for the first time or putting together a series to shed new light on the problem in Nevada, this guide should be the first place they turn."

Bob Fisher, the long-time CEO of the Nevada Broadcasters Association has a deeply personal reason for having Nevada's television and radio stations support this important community project. For the first time in his public life, Bob shared with the public his personal experience with domestic violence. 

“Up to age 13, I was beaten by my father, both physically and verbally,” said Fisher.  “I can still close my eyes and hear my father coming home from work and climbing two flights of stairs and entering my bedroom carrying a hanger.  If you are told throughout your childhood that you are a bum and you will not amount to anything, you begin to believe the words.  As a result of my father's abuse -- including the beating up of my mother and being responsible for her having a nervous breakdown, I did not go to his funeral.  With this Media Guide, we all can work together to stop domestic violence.  If not now -- when ?  If not us -- who?"

“Given all the public misperceptions about domestic violence, it’s critical to have properly informed reporters who can dispel some of the many myths,” said Estelle Murphy, Executive Director of Safe Nest in Las Vegas. “Educated reporting helps us advocates reach the many victims and community members who need our services, and helps the general public better understand the issue.”

“We welcome this new guide, as it offers information about responsible reporting of domestic violence at a glance. By covering the devastating effects of abuse, not only in the lives of individual victims, but also to their families and our communities, each tragedy can be a step toward stopping future violence,” said Sue Meuschke, Executive Director of Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence.

“We are very pleased that this guide is being released,” said Joni Kaiser, Executive Director of the Committee to Aid Abused Women in Reno.  “Both seasoned and new media representatives will benefit from this publication.”

The media guide was distributed to members of the media through the Nevada Press Association and the Nevada Broadcaster’s Association.  The guide will also be made accessible to the public Online at:

Nevada Press Association: www.web.mac.com/NevadaPress

Nevada Broadcasters Association:www.nevadabroadcasters.org

Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence: www.nnadv.org

Safe Nest: www.safenest.org

For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact:

Judge Chuck Weller

2nd Judicial District Court, Family Division

(775)328-3800

Barry Smith

Nevada Press Association

(775)885-0866

Bob Fisher

Nevada Broadcasters Association

(702)794-4994

Susan Meuschke

Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence

(775)828-1115

Estelle Murphy

Safe Nest

(702)877-0133

Joni Kaiser

CAAW

(775)329-4150