Luanda, – The problematic of domestic violence should be a top priority in the country’s public and private media organs’ newsrooms.

This was said Friday in Luanda by the secretary general of Angolan Journalists Union (SJA), Luisa Rogerio, who added this is to broaden the space for discussion of the matter.

The unionist was speaking on "Impact of media coverage of domestic violence”, at the International Conference closing the first phase of the “Challenging Silence” campaign, under  the Women Journalists Forum for Gender Equality.

 
According to Luisa Rogerio, the domestic violence matter gains a major relevance in a country  like Angola that was deeply marked by long years of armed conflict that left irreversible traumas on thousands of people.

She said media professional must abide by the principles of ethics and professional deontology  in order to make a difference and not to hurt the dignity of people involved in cases of  violence.
 

She said domestic violence is not just about physical aggression, but includes psychological, mental and verbal offences, persecution, imprisonment, deprivation of material, financial and other resources.

 
The unionist recalled that the main victims of domestic violence are children, women and elderly, disabled people and even men themselves.

 
To her, rather than informing, journalists must take the role of educator of society, through interviews, debates and informing about the matters so people can understand the phenomenon. 

 
 
"The State and private social communication organs must approach the matter in an open way, rejecting sensationalism that transforms the topic into a breaking news when the victim or  people involved are outstanding persons”, she added.

 
The event was attended by Government officials and local and foreign women journalists.

 
Since December 2008, the forum has been implementing the “Challenging Silence” campaign,  whose first phase closed on Thursday.