USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism hosts symposium on domestic violence

The USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism is set to host a two-part symposium on domestic violence, with the aim of providing journalists with the resources they need to cover this widespread topic. 

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in four men in the United States have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. In Southern California, reports of domestic violence are on the rise.

In Los Angeles County, for example, there were more than 58,000 reported cases of domestic violence in 2020, a 7% increase from the previous year. Experts believe many cases of domestic violence go unreported.

The USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism will teach reporters about the signs and symptoms of domestic violence, the various forms it can take, and the best practices for interviewing victims and survivors.

In addition, reporters who attend both parts of the symposium will be eligible to apply for a reporting grant of between $2,000 and $10,000 from the center's Domestic Violence Impact Reporting Fund. This grant will enable reporters to pursue in-depth investigations into domestic violence in Southern California. 

The first part of the symposium was held Friday morning in person. The second part will be conducted via Zoom on March 31.