Manifesto

Why Words Matter

Because words are not just words. They are justice, truth, and power. The way society talks about sexual assault, domestic abuse, and violence is not neutral. Language shapes who is held responsible - and who is silenced.

Too often, the media and institutions use passive language that hides perpetrators and shifts blame onto survivors.

❌ Passive

'A woman was raped.'

'A child was abused.'

✅ Active

'A man raped a woman.'

'An adult abused a child.'

This construction erases the actor. It makes survivors the subject of the sentence - while those who commit violence disappear into the background.

The truth is active: By changing the words, we change the story. We move the responsibility back where it belongs: on those who commit violence.

What We Believe

The language we use is power. Words influence public opinion, policy, and justice.

Perpetrators must be clear. Survivors must not be positioned as the cause of the crime committed against them.

Media, regulators, and institutions have a duty to adopt language that reflects truth, accountability, and dignity.

Society can change. By rewriting how we report on abuse, we reshape culture, justice, and survivor support.

Our Call to Action

We call on:

- Media organisations to stop using passive constructions and to report violence with clarity and accountability.
- Regulators (such as Ofcom, IPSO, and press codes) to embed language guidelines that prioritise truth.
- Social media companies to apply the same principles when moderating and framing abuse-related content.
️ - Public institutions - from police to government - to ensure official communications reflect accurate, survivor-respecting language.
- Civil society, NGOs, and the public to hold each other accountable and adopt the right words in everyday conversations.

The Change We Seek

✅ Headlines read 'Man raped a woman' - not 'Woman was raped.'
✅ Survivors are no longer positioned as passive recipients of violence but as people harmed by a clear perpetrator.
✅ Accountability is built into reporting, regulation, and education.
✅ Survivors can see themselves reflected with dignity in the public narrative.

Join Our Movement

By signing the pledge and adopting The Right Words, organisations and individuals commit to:

✍️ Naming the crime.
✍️ Pointing out the perpetrator.
✍️ Refusing to further harm survivors through language.

Name the crime. Rewrite the blame.