The front-page stories printed in The Post this week are among the most important we have published in recent memory.
Each of our five lead stories will be dedicated to covering a different aspect of sexual assault. We analyze the process of reporting an assault and explore what resources are available for student and child survivors, as well as those who live in rural areas such as Southeast Ohio.
Today, our entire front page is dedicated to the topic of sexual assault: We explain what happens after a sexual assault is reported, inform readers about a presidential committee formed by Ohio University to discuss sexual assault and report about a rally held by F--kRapeCulture on Friday.
For the past month, a Post editor and three reporters have dug into the subject because we believe there should be an open discussion about sexual assault — a taboo topic for many — and a heightened awareness about what can be the most traumatic experience of a survivor’s life.
The idea for this series was bred this summer, when Emma Ockerman, our assistant local news editor, found that few of her friends were aware of what happens in the aftermath of a sexual assault. She was hazy about the reporting process and what happened afterward as well.
These stories — and the way they are presented in our newspaper — could be seen as a “trigger” of terrible memories for sexual assault survivors. Let us assure you that Ockerman and her colleagues have done their best to toe the line of sensitivity when dealing with an excruciatingly personal and touchy topic.
To be clear: We’re publishing this series because there are people out there who don’t know they were sexually assaulted or are unaware of the resources at their disposal. We’re not publishing this series because we believe any sexual assault victim needs a reminder of his or her traumatic experience.
Stick with us this week and please let us know what you think of our reporting on a universal topic that affects many more of us than we would like to think.
Although our stories won’t be easy reads, they’re important ones.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors.
