About this session

Global media coverage about childhood sexual violence paints a grim picture. Coverage usually focuses on punishing perpetrators and rarely, if ever, highlights solutions. These stories feed a bigger narrative, one that leads to disengagement and fatalism.

The good news? These narratives can be changed. This session gives you practical tools for building strong, values-driven relationships with reporters, tips for effective pitching and media outreach, and insights from Growing Up Safe, our narrative and messaging guidance, so your organization can share solutions, uplift survivors, and drive coverage that inspires action.

What we cover

Effective media outreach must be grounded in a clear strategy and a carefully crafted plan. It requires understanding which outlets and reporters your audiences trust, and choosing tactics and messages that align with your goals.
In this session, we explore the seven core elements of an effective plan:

1️⃣ Strategy first

2️⃣ Fine-tune your message

3️⃣ Assess the newsworthiness of your story

4️⃣ Pick the right outlets and reporters

5️⃣ Pick your moment 

6️⃣ Choose the right tactics

7️⃣ Track your coverage

You can check out the Media Outreach Toolkit for step-by-step guidance to put each one into practice.

Part of a bigger series?

This session is one of six in To Zero's Learning Lab series, designed to strengthen how our field communicates about ending childhood sexual violence.

Explore the full series here.