2015 Single-Topic News or Feature for Print/Online (Large Staff) Finalist: The Washington Post Staff

“College Sexual Assault Project”

The Washington Post provides an unprecedented look into the experiences of students who have been sexually assaulted.

Comments from the Judges:

“This broadly reported series does a standout job exploring the complicated, contradictory and frequently unspoken reasons why the issue of campus sexual assault is devilishly difficult to confront. The Post’s polling data jibes with information gathered by other researchers, which lends credibility to the project. And the reporters who worked on the project did a terrific job getting survivors to open up about the reasons why they often did not report the assaults, blamed themselves or questioned whether they should have ‘fought back.’ A true public service.”

“A unique and immensely compelling approach to covering an important subject. I appreciated the incredible range in survivors and survivors’ stories (and can only imagine the sensitive and tenacious reporting that must have gone into compiling them). The story on different interpretations surrounding consent was eye-opening and added significantly to our national understanding of this problem.”