Successes and perils of investigating celebrity sexual abuse allegations

The last 12 months saw a new wave of high profile investigations into allegations of sexual  exploitation, abuse and rape based on testimony from women and men who had the courage to  collaborate with journalists.  

English comedian and actor, Russell Brand, ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO, Mike Jeffries, and  frontman of Germany's industrial metal cult band Rammstein,Till Lindeman, have all found  themselves in the public spotlight and under investigation by the police following multi-year,  headline-making investigations for TV and print.  

But what does it take to work with sources who have survived such terrible events? What do  journalists and editors do to protect survivors who want their identity concealed? How do they  prepare sources who are prepared to go on record for the impact of publication and social  media? What happens when the police open a criminal investigation and when those accused  decide to take the fight to court to contest the survivors’ testimony and the journalists’ work? 

This event will be moderated by Juliana Ruhfus, European director of the Dart Centre for Journalism. More information on the panelists coming soon.

Organizers

The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma is a resource center and global network of journalists, journalism educators and health professionals dedicated to improving media coverage of trauma, conflict and tragedy. It is a project of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City, with international satellite offices in London and Melbourne. Through the innovative work of its staff and the active engagement of volunteer news professionals, clinicians, and researchers, the Dart Center has been able to respond to exceptional events challenging journalism while expanding a core commitment to innovative training and support for all news professionals encountering violence and tragedy in the practice of their craft. The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma is a global leader in journalism ethics and innovative reporting practice; news organizations' duty of care;  safety training for news professionals; and expanding press freedom.

Columbia Global Centers | Paris addresses pressing global issues that are at the forefront of international education and research: agency and gender; climate and the environment; critical dialogues for just societies; encounters in the arts; and health and medical science.

Venue

Nestled in the Montparnasse district, Reid Hall hosts several Columbia University initiatives: Columbia Global Centers | Paris, the Institute for Ideas and Imagination, Columbia Undergraduate Programs, M.A. in History and Literature, and the GSAPP Shape of Two Cities Program. This unique combination of resources is enhanced by our global network whose mission is to expand the University's engagement the world over through educational programs, research initiatives, regional partnerships, and public events.

This event will take place in Reid Hall’s Grande Salle Ginsberg-LeClerc, built in 1912 and extensively renovated in 2023 thanks to the generous support of Judith Ginsberg and Paul LeClerc.

The views and opinions expressed by speakers and guests do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of Columbia Global Centers | Paris or its affiliates.

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