Providence Journal Wins 2004 Dart Award

The Providence Journal has won this year's $10,000 Dart Award for Excellence in Reporting on Victims of Violence for "Rape in a Small Town."

The Providence Journal has won this year's $10,000 Dart Award for Excellence in Reporting on Victims of Violence for "Rape in a Small Town."

Written by Kate Bramson, edited by Mimi Burkhardt, and photographed by Bob Thayer, the article tells the story of a 15-year-old girl raped by a popular classmate and of the devastating aftermath for her, her family, and her town. Judges described the writing as compelling, honest, and informative, particularly in how the effects of violence reverberate in small communities.

The article is "very personal, very good at showing how the aftermath of crime can be as traumatic as the crime itself," said one judge. Another described the article as "the story of how rape usually happens."

Judges awarded an honorable mention to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for "The Ones She Left Behind," a touching portrayal of a man left to care for his baby son after his wife committed suicide while suffering severe postpartum depression. Judges were impressed with how the writing, by Carol Smith, photography by Renee Byer, and layout worked together to tell a compelling story that breaks new ground on an underreported topic.

Three finalists were also named:

  • The Baltimore Sun for "Undeniable Proof," the story of a woman who was raped at age 18 and her 19-year struggle for justice. Judges praised the article, written by Allison Klein and photographed by Amy Davis, for its strong writing and good use of detail.
  • The Daytona Beach News-Journal for "Donna's Story," which chronicles the process of recovery for six children who lost their mother to murder. The story was produced by staff writer Derek Catron and team members Kelly Markowitz, Denise O'Toole, Craig Litten and Virginia Smith. Judges noted the strong character development of the victim and the survivors through both writing and photographs.
  • The Denver Post for "Betrayal in the Ranks." Written by Miles Moffeit and Amy Herdy, the series reports on individual survivors of rape and domestic violence in the military. Judges commended the editorial decision to devote serious attention to this topic.

The Dart Center will present the award on April 14 in New York City. The special presentation — marking the 11th Annual Dart Award — will include the panel discussion, "The Ethics of Violence," in the City University of New York Graduate Center Recital Hall at 6:30 p.m. The panel, to be moderated by NBC correspondent John Hockenberry, will feature Mary Anne Golon, picture editor, Time magazine; Abderrahim Foukara, UN Correspondent, Al Jazeera; Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, psychiatrist and author; David Gelber, executive producer at CBS.

This year's judges were David T. Cullen, a 2002 Dart Ochberg Fellow and award-winning Colorado freelance journalist; Michelle Guido, a nationally-acclaimed women's issues writer for the San Jose Mercury News; Saed Hindash, photographer at the Newark Star-Ledger and co-winner of the 2002 Dart Award; Lori S. Robinson, freelance journalist and author of I will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing From Sexual Assault and Abuse, and Barbara Rothbaum, president-elect of the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies and associate editor of The Journal of Traumatic Stress.

The Dart Award is administered by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at the University of Washington. Funded by the Dart Foundation of Mason, Mich., the Center develops educational resources for use in journalism schools and news organizations, provides training and conducts research about the coverage of violence.