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Writing an investigative story: sexual predators, teens

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by TopOfTheCircle, Dec 3, 2008.

  1. A note: two more people in the same sport were busted in the last month for various morals charges -- both assistant coaches at NCAA institutions (in this case, the University of California, Berkeley and Towson University in Maryland).

    It's like I'm starting to dip my toe into a cesspool here.
     
  2. tapintoamerica

    tapintoamerica Well-Known Member

    Is your perp in the national sex offender registry? If not, then that's another part of the story.
     
  3. He'll be in it now.

    UPDATE: I am in possession of trial transcripts. Looking up a lot of extraneous names mentioned in the trial. Also seeing some interesting patterns.

    The depth of abuse of trust during this whole thing (and the seeming cheerfulness of the young women in question after the fact) really disturbs me. It's as if they thought having relations with a coach 22 years their senior was normal, or something that was "right."

    More to come.
     
  4. tapintoamerica

    tapintoamerica Well-Known Member

    Another thing: I wouldn't worry about naming the sport.
    If a female student at a college with an enrollment of, say, 1,000 reports being raped, I don't think ethics would preclude journalists from identifying the college. Likewise, I doubt that even small-town newspapers omit the age and gender of rape victims from standard stories.
     
  5. They have in this case.

    I seriously doubt that any of the teenagers in the trial would be willing to be interviewed on the record for this story.

    I might be able to locate a previous victim from 15 years ago who submitted a letter as part of the prosecution's pre-sentencing report -- something which, I understand, is difficult to get.

    I am going to be hitting up people the next three months or so for information on this story. I may wind up burning a bridge or two over the course of doing this, but at the very least I'll know my information will be as complete as possible.
     
  6. UPDATE:

    Turns out one of the girls in the original predator case (now a young woman in college) is part of a varsity field hockey team which has just had its season ended by the college because of allegations of hazing.

    Interestingly, the same university decided to name an interim head women's basketball coach.

    I think things are going to be very, very, very interesting ... A Story That Keeps On Giving?
     
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