Coverage of sexual assault, trauma focus of presentations by University of Tulsa's Elana Newman
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015
MANHATTAN — How the news media covers sexual assault and trauma will be the focus of two upcoming presentations in Manhattan by traumatic stress studies expert Elana Newman.
"Sexual Assault in the News: Dilemmas and Best Practices for Survivors, Advocates, Journalists and News Consumers" will be presented by Newman at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, in the Manhattan Public Library Auditorium, 629 Poyntz Ave. She also will present "Covering Trauma Accurately in the News: New Directions from Journalism and Trauma Studies Scholarship" at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, in the Hemisphere Room at Kansas State University's Hale Library. Both events are free and open to the public.
Newman is the McFarlin chair of psychology at the University of Tulsa, research director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, co-director of the University of Tulsa Institute of Trauma, Adversity and Injustice, and a past president of the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies. She specializes in understanding and intervening to prevent or treat trauma-related conditions and training students and professionals about working effectively with people suffering from trauma-related problems. She co-directed the Dart Center for Journalism and Traumas' first satellite office in New York City after 9/11 to offer support to journalists covering these events.
Newman's work is focused on the intersection of journalism and traumatic stress studies, including examining post-traumatic stress disorder among journalists, reader response to news, and victims' responses to news coverage about them. She is committed to educating the public and professionals about the meaning, aftermath and treatment of psychological trauma. She has authored more than 100 articles, books and publications examining topics such as trauma and substance abuse, treatment and assessment, teaching and substance use effects.
Sponsors of Newman's presentations include the Crisis Center Inc. in Manhattan and the following from Kansas State University: K-State Libraries, Center for Advocacy, Response and Education, A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications, conflict resolution and conflict analysis program, trauma studies program and the women's studies department.
