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Shock tactics...

Shock tactics


Date: January 1, 1970

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The article (and images) is about the different approaches taken ? shock versus awareness raising ? to instill fear of HIV infection in people.

This article may be used in training in the following ways:
 
(1)     The accompanying image can be used to illustrate how the imaging of HIV/AIDS has perpetuated gender and HIV/AIDS stereotypes, and stigma.
(2)     Sources – The story that goes with the image is a one-sourced story. An array of women and men sources affected and to whom campaigns are targeted.
(3)     Context and data – The story in addition to more than one source, could have been given more context by additional information and data on the efficacy of the different approaches used in HIV/AIDS communications campaigns to educate and inform women and men.
 
Trainer’s notes
Image: Images used in the media should follow the same ethical principles of good journalism. The image used to illustrate this story is sensational and it perpetuates the following gender and HIV/AIDS stereotypes and myths:
 
(a)     Women are the carriers of the infection;
(b)     Women are ‘deadly’, like the scorpion;
(c)     Women are not humans;
(d)     HIV is a death sentence;
(e)     HIV is only transmitted by sex.
 
Sources and Context: The story focuses on the various approaches used in HIV/AIDS campaigns to prevent people from engaging in behaviour that may result in infection. It however, is told through the voice of only one source – a male, chief medical officer.
 
Since campaigns are often targeted at different publics, the journalist should interview also women and men, across different ages, sectors to get their views and perspectives on what makes them pay attention to HIV/AIDS messages – what works and what does not work. And, the voices of views of women and men involved in HIV/AIDS and gender communications and campaigns also would add more understanding on communicating on gender and HIV/AIDS. (In this particularly instance, the journalist could have interviewed women and men involved in designing communications campaigns on HIV/AIDS and gender at Soul City, Lovelife, Treatment Action Campaign, among others).
 
Also, research and studies which have provided data on what approaches have made people aware of HIV infection could be cited to add more depth and analysis to this piece.
 
Training exercises:
 
Exercise One [Image alone]: Photocopy only the image of the article (without the caption) and distribute it to participants. Ask them to answer the following questions:
 
  1. What message do you get when you look at the image?
  2. How are men portrayed? How are women portrayed?
  3. What stereotypes or biases are projected in the image?
  4. Ask the students or participants to say what they think the article which accompanies the image is about?
 
Exercise Two [Image plus article]: Give the participants the image with the article as it appeared in the newspaper. Ask them to read the article and discuss the following:
 
  1. Is the image appropriate to the story? Why or why not?
  2. What are other ways the story could have been illustrated to tell the same story?[One possible suggestion could be a variation of different campaign materials used in SA, as well as abroad, as oppose to one image that is used so prominently]
  3. If it is training of photographers or graphic designers, participants could be asked how they would re-design such an image.

Exercise Three [Image plus article- field work]:

Send participants or students out to do a story on HIV/AIDS campaign materials, looking specifically at the angle of why gender is central to HIV/AIDS communications and campaigns. Ask them to also provide an illustration for their article.
 
Links to other training resources: Gender and HIV/AIDS, A Training Manual for Southern African Media and Communicators, Chapter four, Communicating gender and HIV/AIDS); Picture Our Lives, Gender and Images in Southern Africa, Chapter three: Sex, gender and stereotypes.


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Shock tactics...

Shock tactics


Date:

  • SHARE:

The article (and images) is about the different approaches taken ? shock versus awareness raising ? to instill fear of HIV infection in people.

This article may be used in training in the following ways:
 
(1)     The accompanying image can be used to illustrate how the imaging of HIV/AIDS has perpetuated gender and HIV/AIDS stereotypes, and stigma.
(2)     Sources – The story that goes with the image is a one-sourced story. An array of women and men sources affected and to whom campaigns are targeted.
(3)     Context and data – The story in addition to more than one source, could have been given more context by additional information and data on the efficacy of the different approaches used in HIV/AIDS communications campaigns to educate and inform women and men.
 
Trainer’s notes
Image: Images used in the media should follow the same ethical principles of good journalism. The image used to illustrate this story is sensational and it perpetuates the following gender and HIV/AIDS stereotypes and myths:
 
(a)     Women are the carriers of the infection;
(b)     Women are ‘deadly’, like the scorpion;
(c)     Women are not humans;
(d)     HIV is a death sentence;
(e)     HIV is only transmitted by sex.
 
Sources and Context: The story focuses on the various approaches used in HIV/AIDS campaigns to prevent people from engaging in behaviour that may result in infection. It however, is told through the voice of only one source – a male, chief medical officer.
 
Since campaigns are often targeted at different publics, the journalist should interview also women and men, across different ages, sectors to get their views and perspectives on what makes them pay attention to HIV/AIDS messages – what works and what does not work. And, the voices of views of women and men involved in HIV/AIDS and gender communications and campaigns also would add more understanding on communicating on gender and HIV/AIDS. (In this particularly instance, the journalist could have interviewed women and men involved in designing communications campaigns on HIV/AIDS and gender at Soul City, Lovelife, Treatment Action Campaign, among others).
 
Also, research and studies which have provided data on what approaches have made people aware of HIV infection could be cited to add more depth and analysis to this piece.
 
Training exercises:
 
Exercise One [Image alone]: Photocopy only the image of the article (without the caption) and distribute it to participants. Ask them to answer the following questions:
  1. What message do you get when you look at the image?


Download : Shock tactics

Comment on Shock tactics

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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