සිරස්තලයේ "කුඩ්ඩා" - අන්තර්ගතයේ "සොරකම් කිරීමට පැමිණි පුද්ගලයා"

Abstract

On February 7th 2024, Dinamina reported a death by electrocution, using the derogatory term "Kudda" කුඩ්ඩා (Junkie) in the headline to describe the victim. In the content, the victim was referred to as "the person who came to rob the copper coils," with no mention of drug addiction. In contrast, Aruna newspaper reported the same incident without using derogatory terms. Such language can contribute to the stigmatisation of individuals recovering from substance abuse. Both newspapers published images of the dead body, which could evoke fear and shock among viewers.