To think that pic of the bare-tummied lady should not have been used?

[Chestnut99]

I am appalled at how many newspapers and websites have used the pic of the poor lady in an open yellow jacket/blouse who is sitting on a bench, dazed and in shock with her buttons blown off and her bra and tummy showing (Evening Standard yesterday, front page of today's Times etc etc). The least we can do for a victim of hideous terrorist attacks is respect her dignity, not plaster her over the media.

The Daily Mail has gone one further by finding a reason to repeat the pic today in a special "human interest" article naming her and telling us what her job is.

I would be utterly appalled if my own state of traumatised shock was taken advantage of in the same way, before I had come round and realised I was half dressed and showing my underwear. Shame on them all.

I'm not going to link to the pic because that will just make it worse. I am not usually particularly outspoken but I have complained to IPSO - //www.ipso.co.uk - about this because it intrudes on her privacy and her shock.

Poor woman - and poor Belgium

[Helmetbymidnight]

For me, it's nothing to do with clothes or anything.
It's the lack of control/choice.
But then I don't like it when mates take photos of me drunk at parties- and put them on FB so there's no way I'd like to be photographed two minutes after narrowly surviving a terrorist attack- and worse for my shock and distress to become the 'iconic image'...

That's the world we live in though, I get that.

[PresidentCJCregg]

Well, why else would a photographer be there, other than to document it? Of course that's her instinct. It's her job! She's not there to deliver first aid, no matter what you might think about that.

I remember reading that Greg Marinovich and his photographer girlfriend made a pact during the Bosnian conflict; they took 5 seconds to do what they could to help, but then they would start photographing.

[oliviaclottedcream]

Of course I'm projecting my own assumptions about how I would feel if it were you? That's how empathy works? What a daft remark!! I seriously doubt this woman has had time to be as considered and balanced as to form a view, especially one of pride, about her image being plastered all over the press Ice!!

This is about intruding on a hapless victim of an atrocity who is in a state of extreme trauma. Taking her image and using it as a visual symbol of how appalling it all is. They needn't have done so. Its actually lazy and unimaginative of the publication to publish it as well as deeply insensitive of the photographer.

I'm old enough to remember the space shuttle disaster in the mid 1980's, when the BBC apologised for constantly repeating footage showing the gathered crowd at the live launch and their faces and reactions to seeing that particular terrible event. This is no different IMO

[FrenchJunebug]

For those interested the Belgium newspapers who first printed the picture did apologise www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/madame-a-la-veste-jaune/article-opinion-482017.html and the photographer posted this

[LIZS]

I agree, it was unnecessary and makes uncomfortable viewing but not as a symbol of the atrocity. The lady was in no position to consent to the photo being either taken or published and it infringed her privacy.

[Quiero]

I'd argue that we have to rethink media coverage of these atrocities completely. Watching rolling news and see them try and bleed every last bit of drama out of the situation was almost as sickening as the act itself. It also plays right in to the hands of ISIS.

Having said that, I'm not sure what the answer is. It's very important to remember that these types of atrocities go on EVERYDAY with much greater loss of life and never get any coverage. The whole thing just seems like a self perpetuating cycle. The whole FB response and the Belgian flags all just feel odd to me. We're getting caught up in the drama and forgetting to look at the bigger picture. And yes, that picture of that poor woman was hideous on so many levels!