Samoa Observer - Dealing with the issues raised

On Sunday 19th June the Samoa Observer published an explicit photo of the deceased body of Jeanine Tuivaiki hanging by a rope from the church rafter, moments after her death by suicide. 

The photo was accompanied by an article referring to her as a man, in a final gesture of derision and disrespect to her identity as a fa'afafine.  

The paper published an apology after widespread outrage and criticism on Monday morning but was deemed unacceptable by most of the community in its lack of sincerity and absurd lack of justification for publishing the photo and article.

Another apology had since been published by the paper after pressure from both the government and local and international community & media, but we ask if this simple printed of words is enough.

What wider broadcasting standards need to be put into place to make sure instances like this don't traumatise families and the eyes of the reading public again?  How do we help to raise awareness around the poor treatment of vulnerable communities like the Fa'afafine in the media and society in general? 

The trauma that lead to the death of Jeanine Tuivaiki and the subsequent sensationalising of her death to sell newspaper copies leads to many issues we can only help point to in this story .    

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Reporter:  Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson

Camera / Editor:  Twayne Laumua