The press watchdog has launched new guidance aimed at helping domestic abuse survivors and victims to speak to journalists.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation’s leaflet offers information for the public about the reporting of domestic abuse.

The leaflet is intended for survivors and victims of domestic abuse, their families and friends, and organisations who support them.

It covers the rules the press should follow and can help people to decide whether they want to speak to the press about their experiences or not.

In a blog launching the guidance, IPSO’s standards officer Rosemary Douce wrote: “The new leaflet can assist people who wish to speak to the press about their experiences, and provides information for those who do not want to speak to the press, including how to deal with potential press intrusion.”

IPSO’s standards team presented a workshop at the Women’s Aid National Conference, in Birmingham, last month.

Rosemary added: “In producing the leaflet, IPSO spoke to relevant stakeholders including Women’s Aid, whose head of media and comms, Teresa Parker introduced our workshop at the conference.

“Teresa’s work engaging with different sectors of the media, ranges from training for newsrooms to consulting with television scriptwriters about domestic abuse storylines.

“IPSO’s workshop was well attended and the audience of professionals working in the field of domestic abuse were engaged and asked plenty of challenging questions.”