Preventing Torture An Operational Guide for National Human Rights Institutions - Updated Edition and into the public domain. Public awareness and community support can be a crucial factor in bringing about changes to laws, policies and practices. In most countries around the world, community attitudes to detainees can vary from indifference to suspicion and even antipathy. These feelings are usually reinforced by public discourse on issues of security and law and order that can legitimate poor treatment of detainees. Similarly, public opinion can sometimes view certain forms of violent behaviour, for example during interrogation, as an acceptable part of police work. This perception can be reinforced by television programmes that show police violence as a normal, or even necessary, part of policing. This is why it is important for NHRIs to regularly communicate the message that torture is never acceptable and that all persons deprived of their liberty deserve humane treatment. One of the best ways to address the community at large is through global public awareness campaigns that engage journalists and opinion leaders. Furthermore, in some contexts, human rights work is criticised as serving only specific cultural, political, economic, or religious interests. NHRIs and human rights defenders working on torture can risk being viewed in a negative light, for example as “defenders of criminals”. To counteract misconceptions and build support, NHRIs might need to develop positive narratives around the benefits of torture prevention e.g. for society, good governance, accountability and strengthening criminal justice systems. NHRIs might choose to focus awareness-raising activities on specific groups at risk of torture and ill-treatment. For example, in many countries the public knows very little about the plight of women in detention and their unique needs are often left off policy agendas. The Bangkok Rules specifically recommend that “the media and the public shall be informed about the reasons that lead to women’s entrapment in the criminal justice system” and effective responses to enable their social reintegration, taking into account the best interests of their children.124 One of the best ways to address the community at large is by engaging journalists and opinion leaders, including through public awareness campaigns. Informed and sustained media coverage on an issue can help shape public opinion and create political pressure for change. Engaging the media will not be a one-off event but a sustained activity. NHRIs will need to build relationships and understand how the media operates to present torture issues in a way that engages journalists and leads to useful, accurate and compelling coverage. At the same time, it should be remembered that media reporting can sometimes perpetuate harmful stereotypes and entrench discrimination. The way stories are reported might influence stakeholders in unexpected or unwanted ways. NHRIs should be aware of the potential risks of media engagement, to weigh these up against possible benefits and develop risk mitigation strategies. An effective public education campaign will be based on an agreed communication strategy, which will include a specific objective, a clear and simple message, the main methods and targets of communication and the timeframe for the campaign. Some avenues that NHRIs can use to communicate with the general public include: • holding a major press conference to encourage news reporting on the issue • mobilizing leading public figures in support of the campaign, which could also include testimonies of victims 124 126 United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (Bangkok Rules), Rule 70.1.