Audra DeLaHaye
Working from the World Within

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What would you do?
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Mood:
Contemplative

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Well, the former police chief has been arrested and charged with three counts of sexual assault. This is the news we've all been waiting on since February.

So, as is proceedure, I went to the court house and got copies of the complaints, to put in the newspaper and share with our readers.

This is the first sexual assault case I have covered however, and upon reading the details of each charge, I muttered, "I can't print this."

I know a big city reporter wouldn't give it a second thought.

I know a big city reporter would take a big juicy bite of the apple and tell the world how rotten it is.

The details of each alleged incident are disturbing. They're pornographic. And I'm not a prude, but I can't, no matter how academic I make it sound, make it rated G.

Sure, the majority of our readers are adults.

They probably see nastier stuff on HBO and MTV. Maybe, I don't know. I don't watch television.

But to put the details of a violent sex crime on the front page? On the back page? On any page?

I can't, and I won't.

So, am I failing as a reporter?

Am I shirking my responsibility to our readers?

Can't I just put "raped" and leave out the slamming against the kitchen stove, leave out the words "penetration" and "vagina" and "ejaculation?"

(Mother, don't read that.)

I never thought I'd be writing pornography when I was covering the news.


Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.



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