Story Ideas: Trauma Journalism in the Time of Coronavirus
May 13, 2020 by Rachel Dissell
How can journalists start thinking about aftermath when there is no end in sight?
Resources for Rachel Dissell
9 results found
Case Closed
April 8, 2020 by Rachel Dissell, Andrea Simakis, Lynn Ischay, Ellen Stein Burbach, Kelley Benham French, Melodie Smith, Wendy Carr McManamon, Joel Downey
This multipart series focuses on rape survivor Sandi Fedor’s efforts to track down the serial rapist who attacked her as she discovers that her trust has been betrayed by the indifference of an historically under-resourced Cleveland Police sex crimes unit. Judges praised the team for “successfully intertwining a visceral survivor’s point of view narrative with traditional investigative reporting.” They said the series “meticulously documents with photographs, video clips, audio recordings, public records, police documents, and prior investigative reporting” a “pattern of systemic police department failure dating back decades” which “enabled serial offenders like the man who attacked Sandi Fedor to evade justice for years.” Originally published in the Plain Dealer on September 29, 2019.
Reinvestigating Rape: Old Evidence, New Answers
August 7, 2014 by Rachel Dissell
A growing number of communities across the country are wrestling with how to deal with rape kit backlogs. In this in-depth report, Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter and 2008 Dart Award Winner Rachel Dissell answers common questions about rape kit testing, and provides useful links, resources and questions that reporters can pose to authorities following the reopening of thousands of sexual assault cases nationwide. Click here for quick tips, and click here for the Plain Dealer's Reinvestigating Rape project, reported by Dissell and her colleague Leila Atassi.
Reinvestigating Rape: Tips
August 7, 2014 by Rachel Dissell
In this tip sheet, Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter and 2008 Dart Award Winner Rachel Dissell offers advice for reporters on understanding forensic testing, crime laws, and how sexual violence can impact survivors and their communities. For the full report, click here. And click here for the Plain Dealer's Reinvestigating Rape project, reported by Dissell and her her colleague Leila Atassi.
The Steubenville Rape Case: Social Media on Trial
March 18, 2013 by Rachel Dissell
Without social media, the 16-year-old victim might never have even known she was raped. Rachel Dissell explores the new frontiers of the case she covered for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Steubenville Rape Case: A Conversation
January 6, 2013 by Rachel Dissell, Bruce Shapiro
With one week to go before the scheduled trial, tensions are flaring in Steubenville, Ohio. Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Rachel Dissell, who has been covering the controversial case involving the Steubenville High football team, recently spoke to the Dart Center's executive director Bruce Shapiro.
High Impact Local Reporting
In this video from the 2011 Dart Center workshop "Out of the Shadows: Reporting on Intimate Partner Violence," four groundbreaking reporters discuss their work on intimate partner violence.
2008 Dart Awards: Reporting on Violence Against Women
Dart Award winners Rachel Dissell, Gus Chan and Laura Sullivan tell the stories behind their winning pieces, "Johanna: Facing Forward," and "Sexual Abuse of Native American Women."
Johanna: Facing Forward
February 12, 2008 by Rachel Dissell, Gus Chan
This nine-part series tells the story of a teenage relationship turning to obsession and abuse, and a strong young woman recovering from a horrific act of violence. Originally published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in September, 2007.