බාලවයස් ලිංගික අපයෝජනයක් “ගැබිනියක කිරීමක්” ලෙසින් වාර්තා කිරීම නිවැරදිද?

Abstract

On July 09, 2024, the Dinamina newspaper reported an alleged case of abuse involving a minor girl and a retired army officer. The headline used the trivialising phrase “Gabiniyaka kara” (ගැබිනියක කර), and the content included the terms “Dushya” (දූෂ්‍ය) and “Sthri duushanaya” (ස්ත්‍රී දූෂණය), as well as the appropriate term “Apaharanaya” (අපහරණය). While legal texts use the term rape for sexual crimes, such language can suggest the term rape is used in legal texts to refer to sexual crimes, such terminology can imply that victims are defiled, thereby reinforcing stigma, discrimination, and social hostility toward those subjected to such crimes. Using such language is unethical, because it normalises the offence and downplays its seriousness. Media are advised to avoid derogatory or such trivialising language, especially in sensitive contexts, to maintain ethical reporting standards.