#16DaysofActivism: Journalists open up on reporting on violence against women and children
Two KwaZulu-Natal journalists say daily reports on violent stories have taken a toll on their personal well-being.
They have been speaking about how their coverage of disturbing and distressing reports in and around KwaZulu-Natal has affected them.
As part of Newswatch's special focus on the 16 Days of Activism campaign, East Coast Radio sat down with two reporters at the coalface of telling tough stories.
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Award-winning, eNCA reporter Dasen Thathiah counts it a privilege to tell these stories and raise awareness about gender-based violence.
He discusses the lingering effects of reporting on those difficult stories.
"To not carry that pain with you when you leave, I honestly believe that not enough journalists talk about what they got through. We talk among ourselves, but we take it as normal in that we are meant to be doing this and we meant to be absorbing everything that we see around us," he said.
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Newswatch's Dineo Mpahlele feels she has to muster the courage to constantly be the bearer of bad news.
"Have to compose yourself and then it hits you later because it doesn't go away, it sits at the back of your mind and often you not even sure when it's going to happen, but it will happen. Sometimes you are sitting at home two days after the fact, and then it will hit you," he said.
Listen here:
