During 2008-2009, StigmaWatch received 326 reports of stigma. The majority of inappropriate coverage was associated with the reporting of suicide, particularly the description of methods in news stories and features. The most extreme stigmatising media coverage was sensationalised news reporting, often concerning violence or the inaccurate, misleading and hurtful use of terms such as ‘schizophrenic’.
The 2008-2009 period also saw a 43 per cent increase in Good News reports. These positive stories included issues regarding mental illness and suicide, which were reported in an accurate, sensitive and non-sensational way.
The StigmaWatch Report for 2009 is a summary of all StigmaWatch files submitted during the period August 2008 / July 2009. Please use the link below to download the report.
Download StigmaWatch Report 2009 (PDF, 252Kb)
