Ethical communication on gender-based violence and substance use

On November 11, Dianova organized the international webinar “Telling It Right: Communicating Ethically and Responsibly about Gender-Based Violence and Substance Use.”

The event brought together professionals from journalism, communications, and the non-governmental sector to discuss how narratives shape public understanding of two complex (and their intersection) and often misunderstood issues: gender-based violence (GBV) and substance use.Moderated by Gisela Hansen, Head of International Relations at Dianova, the session explored how the language and framing of these topics can either reinforce harmful stereotypes or foster empathy, social justice, and change. Hansen emphasized that words shape reality, and that communicating with care, precision, and respect is a moral duty for anyone responsible for informing or influencing the public.

The discussion called for a shift away from simplistic and moralizing explanations that attribute violence to drugs or alcohol. Such narratives obscure the structural and gendered roots of violence, reinforce stigma, and prevent society from understanding the real social and political dynamics at play.