375: Is It Ever Ethical to Photograph a Trafficking Survivor?

Nina Alvarez joins Dr. Sandie Morgan to unpack a question raised after The New York Times published images from Figueroa Street: was legal consent enough to prevent harm? Together they explore the ethical duty of care journalists owe survivors, the lasting life of images, and why covering trafficking responsibly takes more than good intentions.

Chapters

(00:00) - Introduction: welcoming journalist Nina Alvarez

(03:46) - What "ethical duty of care" means for journalists

(06:00) - Consent, trauma, and the limits of a release form

(16:42) - Why "rescue" is the wrong word for trafficking recovery

(22:14) - What editors and organizations should ask before publishing

(28:44) - Power, images, and protecting sources long after publication

(38:03) - Media narratives, public misunderstanding, and what needs to change

(43:14) - Closing thoughts and how to get involved

About Nina Alvarez

Nina Alvarez is a journalist, documentarian, video photographer, and the CBS Assistant Professor of International Journalism at Columbia Journalism School. She has spent more than twenty-five years reporting breaking news, feature stories, radio reports, broadcast segments, and long-form documentaries around the world.