Be a good human 💙
How to interview trauma survivors
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Recently I interviewed a woman who is a survivor of sexual abuse. I was keenly aware of balancing my need for detail, while prioritising her wellbeing. Asking survivors to mine their painful memories runs the risk of re-traumatising them — especially in audio, where we need hyper-specific, vivid descriptions to help situate the listener. We want our interviewees to ‘take us there’, but without putting themselves in an unsafe place.
Today I’m featuring advice and resources on interviewing people who have experienced any kind of trauma, loss and grief - which sadly this year, is all too pervasive. (These tips were sent to me from pros of the fantastic Ladio community and have been shared here with their permission).
“I’ve found that the best approach in these situations is to just be a good human. Yes, you’re trying to get a story. Hopefully, your subject is someone who wants to be heard and understood. So your job is to listen. Sometimes silence can be a much better tool than jumping into the next question. But being direct can also remove some of the stigma around difficult subjects. So don’t be shy. Be respectful... but not shy.
I’ll never forget the interview I did with a mother whose son had recently committed suicide. As we were wrapping up, she thanked me for my time. She told me that her friends had already grown tired of listening to her story, and she still had more to say. The kindest thing I did that day was to shut up and listen.”
—Karen Given, freelance storyteller and narrative editor
“Before you start, give a little breakdown of how the interview is going to go, so they have a sense of grounding from which they can answer some pretty difficult questions, and to calm their nerves. Remind them they can always start an answer over, revisit it, etc.
Another thing is the mic. If they’re wearing a lav, have them put it on themselves if possible, and if not, check with them first about every move you’ll be making. Something like, ‘I’m just standing behind you and I’m gonna hand you this’ etc. Body autonomy and safety is very important.
Be patient. Give them lots of space. Avoid verbal reactions or facial reactions. You don’t have to be flat, but sometimes a facial expression can get misunderstood. Do your best to stay calm. This is really tough stuff to hear, and they need to know you can hold that space for them. Consider all of this from a place of empathy. Imagine you’re having to tell someone a difficult, vulnerable story that’s very painful. What do you need from that person sitting across from you?
Be kind to yourself after the interview. Give yourself space and a place to process it too, once you’ve left. Secondary trauma is real.”
—Kimberly Buikema, audio and video producer with MA in clinical mental health counselling
“Make sure the person you’re interviewing is fully aware of what you plan to ask them about before going into the interview, as well as how the content is going to be used.
Leave a lot of room for silences. Let people decide whether and how to proceed; in a different type of interview, you might probe, clarify or follow up more quickly, but in this case just wait. Or say, ‘it’s ok’.
Make sure you feel the person is leaving in a good place. Don’t have them unpack trauma and then leave unravelled. Chat back on to solid and safe ground. For some people this may not be an issue; it depends on where they are with their traumatic event. There’s a big difference between self-selected survivors of sexual assault who may have had a chance to do a lot of work and healing and are speaking with you from an empowered place, vs., say, interviewing refugees who have suffered abuse and are still living in survival and have had no opportunity to reconcile what has happened to them. Just be really conscious of the power differential based on wherever your interview falls along that spectrum.”
—Laura C Spero, social worker and independent producer
“I have worked with trauma survivors for documentary projects and one thing I have found to be aware of is sometimes, when retelling stories of the trauma event itself, the speaker can become very shutdown and unemotional in their voice and affect. This, for storytelling, of course, is a challenge.
We expect, as an audience, the teller to be emotionally reactive and therefore find ourselves more engaged in the story. As documentary-makers, we’re taught to bring out the emotion in our subjects at all costs. To make them repeat stories, to ask questions in different ways to illicit more engagement in their memories. But trauma and sexual assault survivors often survive and cope by disengaging from their memories. Maybe talk ahead of time with your boss/editor/collaborator about what to do if the tone is really ‘flat’— maybe you can narrate and educate the audience about why this is happening, the science behind this trauma-impact. The other side of the spectrum is lots of crying and inability to be articulate. That emotion could be very important to hear. And perhaps you’ll have the ability and time in your story to let the listener feel that emotional weight.
Be super, super patient: with your subject and with yourself. Book loads of time for each interview, and make sure you don’t have to rush off anywhere— this, for yourself and your emotional experience as much as for your subject.
One regret I had with a very long term project was not knowing a way to support the subject after I left. I was able to ask all kinds of probing questions, bringing up past harm and trauma, and then I got to get in my car and leave. But my subject was left in their house, with their memories triggered, their pain and trauma re-triggered. I personally think this is an ethical harm journalists can do. I don’t know a clear answer but I do think it means there should be a very thoughtful discussion before recording about what might come up for the subject, and maybe even brainstorm ways they can take care of themselves after you leave. Certainly, they are agreeing to speak with you, they know what it might mean, but I do think it’s your/our responsibility to really let them know how this can impact them and how they can be safe in their minds and bodies after we leave with our story collected.”
—Alix Blair, documentary-maker and trauma-informed yoga teacher
tldr:
Before the interview, be clear about what you want to discuss.
Be patient, give space, leave silence. Allow plenty of time for the interview.
Don’t make verbal or facial reactions.
Be calm and nonjudgmental.
Don’t leave them in a dark place: end with lighter / more upbeat questions.
Trauma resources
📌 Guide to Conducting Interviews with Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence - Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma
📌 Reporting on coronavirus: handling sensitive remote interviews — BBC Academy
📌 Ethical Storytelling webinars
📌 Survivor/journalist insights - Annie Hylton’s thread
📌 Interviewing people who have experienced trauma - The Groundtruth Project
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What I’m listening to
🎧 Producer Erica Heilman released a new series called Shaking out the Numb, which explores Sylvan Esso’s new album. I’m a massive fan of the band, but even if you’re not familiar with them, I think you’ll get a lot from this show: it’s a really clever, sound-rich way to delve into the disparate inspirations and ideas that come together to form an album. The episodes go far beyond the standard ‘what influences your music’ format, giving you a real glimpse into the workings of two supremely talented and creative musicians.
🎧 One of my favourite podcasts, The High Low, came to an end last week and I was surprised at how bereft I felt. I’m going to miss the funny, warm conversations between writers Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes (not to mention, where am I going to get book recommendations now?!). The last ever ep featured really moving voice notes from long-time listeners on what the show meant to them. A beautiful reminder of just how powerful this medium can be.
Thanks for reading! Have a great week - and as always, my inbox is open for your suggestions, comments, recommendations 📫