PD, Honolulu Advertiser win Dart awards

The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, today announced the selection of The Honolulu Advertiser, the Clevelant Plain Dealer and National Public Radio International's "The World" as winners of the 2009 Dart Awards for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma.

The Honolulu Advertiser received the Dart Award for "Crossing the Line: Abuse in Hawai'i Homes" (Rob Perez and Kevin Dayton, reporters; Jeffrey Widener, photographer; Russell McCrory, features designer).

This exceptional seven-part investigative series tells the stories of native Hawai’ian women whose lives were forever changed by domestic violence. It charts the failures of law-enforcement, gaps in the safety net for victims, and the far-reaching consequences to victims, their families and the broader community. Through the intimate diary of Daysha Aiona-Aka, a 21-year-old mother who was murdered at the hands of her estranged boyfriend, the series offers a rare glimpse of the dynamics of abuse, as that abuse unfolds.

The Plain Dealer received the Dart Award for the second time in a row for "Beyond Rape: A Survivor’s Journey" (Joanna Connors, reporter; Lisa DeJong, photographer). This brave and brutally honest first-person inquiry tells the story of the author’s rape in 1984 and its aftermath. "Beyond Rape" delves into Connor's past by examining the incident itself, the difficult trial and the subsequent years of coping and denial. It then charts Connors’s spiritual and reportorial search to find the man who committed this crime against her.

Judges described "Beyond Rape: A Survivor's Journey" as bold, groundbreaking, and courageous. They called it a remarkable piece of journalism with language that soared. They commended Connors' ability to turn her reportorial skills on her own sexual assault, and called this special report a major contribution to public understanding of trauma.

Public Radio International's "The World" received the Dart Award for "Rape as a Weapon of War" (Jeb Sharp, reporter; Jennifer Goren, editor), a startling five-part investigative series that examines the brutality of sexual violence in conflict zones and the medical, humanitarian, legal, and political response to it.

Judges called "Rape as a Weapon of War" a powerful, compelling portrayal of human beings who have been violated in the most horrifying ways. They praised Sharp for her clear, focused storytelling and ability to convey the traumatic environments that lead to such dehumanizing acts. They also commended her for the great respect and compassion used in reporting, and for giving the survivors a sense of agency and power by telling of their stories.

Each winning team will receive a $5,000 cash prize. This year the judges made no award in the category of breaking news. The winners will be recognized at a public ceremony on April 28 at the Journalism School.

Other finalists in newspaper and online reporting include:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution – "Chaplain Turner's War"
Boston Globe – "A Girl’s Life"
Christian Science Monitor -- "Forgive, Not Forget: Reconciliation After War"
Dallas Observer – "Terrain of Grief"
Frederick News-Post – "Domestic Violence"
Salon.com – "Friendly Fire in Iraq – and a Cover Up"
Westword (Denver) – "The Good Soldier"

Other finalists in radio reporting included:
CBC, Dispatches – "The 'New' War Zone"
NPR, Day to Day – "Nuns Forgive, But Can't Forget Violent Parishioner"
NPR, All Things Considered – "Detroit's Firefighters Battle Dangerous Ghosts"
National Radio Project, Making Contact – "Gina’s Story"

The Dart Awards are administered by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, based at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Established in 1995, the Dart Awards recognize outstanding reporting that portrays traumatic events with accuracy, insight and sensitivity while illustrating the effects of trauma on victims' lives and the process of recovery from emotional trauma.