At Mosaic Market, our mission is to celebrate craftsmanship, empower local talent, and create lasting impact. Central to this mission is our commitment to ethical storytelling in our anti-trafficking fundraising efforts. We recognize that the narratives we share profoundly influence perceptions and actions. Therefore, it’s imperative that every story, image, and video we present respects the dignity, ensures the safety, and empowers those we aim to support.
Our Responsibility
Ethical storytelling is more than a guideline; it’s a moral imperative. Our approach focuses on highlighting resilience, progress, and the transformative impact of our collective efforts. By showcasing solutions and positive change, we aim to inspire action without resorting to sensationalism or perpetuating harm.
DOs: What We Should Do
1. Prioritize Dignity and Empowerment
- Highlight Resilience: Depict survivors and beneficiaries as strong, hopeful individuals actively participating in their journey toward healing and empowerment.
- Showcase Positive Transformation: Use visuals that capture moments of growth, such as individuals engaging in skills training, employment, or education, reflecting their agency and the support of the community.
2. Obtain Informed Consent
- Ensure Voluntary Participation: Before capturing any media, obtain full, voluntary, and informed consent from all individuals involved.
- Protect Identities When Necessary: If consent cannot be secured, utilize alternative visuals like blurred images or symbolic representations. For children, always obtain guardian consent and ensure they remain unidentifiable by avoiding real names, locations, or school details.
3. Use Contextually Respectful Representation
- Cultural Sensitivity: Present individuals in a manner that is respectful and appropriate to their cultural context.
- Authentic Narratives: Share genuine stories with accurate contexts, steering clear of exaggeration or misleading portrayals. When using stock photos, select images that reflect real situations without reinforcing stereotypes.
4. Protect Privacy and Safety
- Anonymize Personal Details: Alter names, locations, and identifying details when sharing real survivor stories to protect their privacy.
- Avoid Re-traumatization: Ensure that the process of sharing personal stories does not cause additional harm or distress to the individuals involved.
- Reconfirm Consent for Past Media: When using existing images or stories, verify that prior consent still applies and assess whether circumstances have changed.
5. Frame Fundraising with Hope, Not Pity
- Inspire Through Impact: Motivate donors by demonstrating how their contributions lead to tangible, positive changes, rather than focusing solely on suffering.
- Highlight Solutions and Empowerment: Emphasize the effective solutions in place, the progress being made, and the empowerment of individuals and communities.
- Uplifting Messaging: Craft captions and narratives that are uplifting, avoiding exploitative language or imagery.
DON’Ts: What to Avoid
1. Avoid Exploitative or Sensational Content
- Steer Clear of Graphic Imagery: Refrain from using shocking images, such as those depicting abuse or degradation.
- No Fear-Based Tactics: Avoid employing fear-inducing strategies or “poverty porn” to elicit donations.
2. Avoid Unverified or Misleading Stories
- Maintain Accuracy: Do not manipulate facts, exaggerate statistics, or present misleading information to create a sense of urgency.
- Respect Survivor Agency: Avoid narratives that position donors or organizations as saviors; instead, highlight the active role of survivors in their own recovery.
- Emphasize Long-Term Empowerment: Do not imply that rescue operations alone are sufficient; focus on sustainable, long-term empowerment strategies.
3. Avoid Sharing Unsecured Personal Information
- Protect Identities: Never disclose real names, precise locations, or personally identifiable information of survivors.
- Prevent Potential Risks: Refrain from sharing content that could expose individuals to risks such as re-trafficking, stigmatization, or retaliation.
- Avoid Real-Time Location Sharing: Especially during active rescue or recovery missions, do not share real-time locations.
Final Check: The Ethical Storytelling Test
Before publishing any content, consider the following questions:
- Personal Reflection: Would I be comfortable if this were my story being shared?
- Upholding Dignity: Does this content maintain the dignity and empowerment of the individuals featured?
- Avoiding Harm: Is the content free from exploitation, stereotypes, or potential harm?
- Mission Alignment: Does it accurately reflect the mission and impact?
If any doubts arise, it’s crucial to pause and reassess. Adhering to ethical storytelling not only safeguards those you serve but also upholds your integrity and credibility.
By following these guidelines, we ensure that our narratives contribute positively to the discourse on anti-trafficking and resonate with our community’s values of respect, empowerment, and authentic representation.