http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=144844
Press Council's guidelines go for a toss in Goa The PCI guidelines have been openly flouted in case of the German girl, who was sexually abused. The media plays watchdog to society but there is no one to watch the media itself. In consequence, public dissatisfaction with the media is on the rise. CJ: Jenny Coutinho , 8 hours ago Views:114 Comments:2 IF YOU are looking for direction in an alien land, then the policemen and journalists are the best bet you can look forward to in any country, was the advice we got from our family friend and freedom fighter and journalist, Emiterio Paes. That was some twenty years back. Rewind to the present era and we find the policemen in the Goan state are looked upon with more and more suspicious eyes and journalists eager to earn brownie points are giving out more information to the readers in cases involving rape of minors. Take the current case of the German girl who was sexually abused.The local Press and also the national newspapers published from the state have given enough details to reveal the identity of the young minor girl. The Press Council of India in their guidelines says: "The Press Council of India's position is that "while reporting crime involving rape, abduction or kidnap of women/females or sexual assault on children, or raising doubts and question touching the chastity, personal character and privacy of women, the names, photographs of victims or other particulars leading to their identity should not be published. While such publication serves no legitimate public purpose, it may bring social opprobrium to the victims and social embarrassment to their relations, family friends, community, religious order or the institution, to which they belong". Media critic and columnist, Minguel Braganza in his note forwarded to Goan journalists and also sent to Press Council of India (PCI) says: "Today ( Oct 15, 2008) a local English newspaper carried a photo of the mother of the girl, the alleged victim of "sexual harassment" punishable under Section 8 [1] of the Goa Children's Act, 2003. The full name of the mother is revealed:, The fact that she is a resident of Goa for three decades, (the name of the village is stated by another newspaper), that she is a researcher that the daughter studied in (a particular school) before shifting to another school in Panaji and is currently in std VII is all revealed. Her surname is (mentioned) and who ...is involved in this things is not too difficult to find out. Can Goa's journos do better? Can the PCI for journos become as effective." The concerned at the falling standards of reporting is not just a state related problem but an all-India problem. Senior journalist Sadanad Menon from Delhi writes: "The growing reach and influence of the media, both print and electronic, has unfortunately not been accompanied by a corresponding growth in its sense of responsibility and accountability to society. The media plays watchdog to society but there is no one to watch the media itself. In consequence, public dissatisfaction with the media is on the rise. Journalists have long held and asserted the view that they are beyond scrutiny. The 'freedom of the press' argument has been stretched to permit abuse and licence on the one hand and sycophancy towards the powers that be, on the other." Coming back to the German girl's case, her torment and agony should be viewed in the light that the growing influence of the politicians on the police force is a known fact and if the German lady whose girl has been allegedly sexually abused by Rohit Monserate, son of a Goa minister, has had been requested by the police officials to withdraw her complain, which she refused, then the police where just trying to pay favour to their political master. Hats off to the lady who stood her ground and fended off pressure from the controversial state minister Babush Monserrate emissaries, which included his wife, who all but wanted the lady to withdraw her complain. The German lady has tread on a path where few Goan ladies will have the guts to stand up to the challenge and might of the minister. Other Articles by Jenny Coutinho * Moti Fest, pork sausages and Church of Qatar * Goans aspire for top posts in shipping industry * E-waste law needed urgently * Goa's tale told in 'Once Upon a Time in Aparanta' * Fort Kochi: A place worth visiting in Kerala Most of the Goan girls would have instead suffered in silence taking into account the resulting publicity for the event and the bad name the girl would have received in the press. The Miramar sex scandal in Panjim, which rocked the state a few years back happened to be a mere paper tiger, no one was booked. The problem was no one was willing to complain. The victims silence was bought -- by threat or money, in that many a college girls from Panjim suffered in silence at the agonising moments they had to go through after their soft drinks were spiked with drugs at cyber café and thereafter sexually assaulted by the high and the mighty people, some who enjoyed power in the echelons of power in the state and still continue till now. In hindsight, the Miramar sex scandal girls have had valid reasons. They treasured their privacy and the press will not have left them alone, in giving enough hints to the readers who the victims were and, from which village and in small Goa, it is not difficult to find out.