Moving from Exploitation to Empowerment
Nonprofits are encouraged to tell stories that make their work both memorable and fundable. However, this propensity for storytelling in the sector has raised concerns about what many call “poverty porn” — the portrayal of certain groups as helpless victims in order to generate necessary sympathy for increasing charitable donations.
Another form of this exploitation is called “trauma porn,” which includes any type of media (written, photographed, or filmed) that exploits traumatic moments of adversity to generate buzz, notoriety, or social media attention. It essentially gives people a front row seat to consume someone else’s pain at arm’s length.
Trauma porn can be seen within many marginalized groups, including those who are chronically ill or disabled. Imagine subjecting yourself to pervasive imagery of people who look like you in constant distress. The act itself can be considered a form of psychological racism: the indirect mental stressors we experience in our minds while consuming trauma.
How do nonprofits move away from exploiting the vulnerable populations they serve and instead, empower them through ethical storytelling?
Trauma Porn in Fundraising
Constant subjection of trauma porn is harmful because it exploits those who are suffering, and desensitizes us from caring. Incite Journal writes: “Not only is trauma porn ineffective in forcing people to act, instead turning us into disenchanted cynics who are painfully aware of their own powerlessness and growing desensitization, it is also profoundly dehumanizing.”
The more we highlight the plight of minorities as a commodity, the more desensitized we become. Consequently, this cycle leads to social inaction over time.
Many nonprofits will ask survivors of trauma to provide the emotional hook for their cause. But what tends to be overlooked are the ways in which these survivors may experience a number of unexpected personal and emotional challenges in the aftermath of sharing their stories.
No one talks to survivors about the impact of telling your story — what it does to you, or what it ultimately means — because in an ideal world, everyone is moved with compassion by the stories we share. That is not always the case. It’s important to examine the ethics of this type of storytelling, and ask some hard questions about the imbalance of power between trauma survivors and the nonprofits whose mission is to serve them.
Savior Mentality
Savior mentality stems from the desire to help others who are struggling, which sounds great on paper. However, the issue with this type of mentality is the way saviors tend to reject any guidance from the groups they are trying to help. Saviors want to support communities that are not their own, but believe they are the one who must remain in charge — they want to lead, not follow. When saviors are told by the people they are trying to rescue that their methods are not helpful, they refuse to listen. Instead, it’s taken as evidence that they need more help.
Community-Centric Fundraising
Community-centric fundraising is a model used by nonprofits that is grounded in equity and social justice. Rather than focusing on the accomplishments of individual nonprofit organizations, this approach prioritizes the entire community and fosters a sense of belonging and interdependence.
This movement evolves how fundraising is done in the nonprofit sector. Its goal is to re-examine every fundraising philosophy and practice they have been taught, engage in vigorous ongoing conversations, and explore fundraising in ways that reduce harm and further social justice.
Foster a Sense of Belonging, Not Othering
So, how can nonprofits fundraise to support communities in need without causing more harm?
Fundraising should always avoid ‘othering’ those the nonprofit serves, which only reinforces the savior complex. Nonprofits should instead practice an ethical approach to storytelling and ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging. Here are some important questions to consider:
What is the purpose of this story?
Who is the targeted audience?
Do we have the person's consent to tell their story?
How will society react to the story?
Whose needs and desires are at the centre of how the story is presented?
Who is the protagonist of the story, the person or our organization?
Who is empowered, and who is disempowered?
Are we telling the story in a way that reinforces harmful stereotypes or stigmas about a social issue or the people who are affected by it?
What will happen to the person after we tell their story in this way? Could it cause them harm? Are we going to continue to help them and be in a relationship with them, or are we leaving as soon as we get what we need?
Conclusion
In a world that is becoming increasingly desensitized to the suffering of marginalized groups, it’s more important than ever to take an equitable, social justice-based approach to fundraising. By empowering those you serve, rather than exploiting their pain, nonprofits can eliminate the harm perpetuated by the savior complex and trauma porn in storytelling.