Journalist Security

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The partnership

Luminous Warrior is on the leading-edge by partnering with GJS to provide expert instruction in personal safety and security, assault avoidance, self care and tools for managing stress and trauma. Luminous Warrior brings its full-spectrum, integrated approach to personal safety and self care to journalists and civilian advocates around the world. Read more about our collaboration in our blog (Self Defense for Global Journalists and Global Journalists Combating Sexual Assault).

About Global Journalist Security

Global Journalist Security (GJS) draws from cutting edge civilian and military practices to offer the best possible training to help journalists, human rights defenders, and others operating in high-risk environments navigate the unique challenges of today’s changing world.

The company was founded in November 2011 and is comprised of veteran journalists, press freedom advocates and security training professionals. The GJS team shares a commitment to journalist safety, press freedom and human rights, and supports the efforts of journalists and civil society actors to strengthen the free flow of information and the role of human rights. GJS only accepts projects consistent with these values, and transfers knowledge and skills to news organizations as well as to communities of journalists, human rights defenders and citizen journalists. It is a new kind of consulting and training organization, one in which participants truly receive the training they need.

Frank Smyth, Founder and Executive Director of GJS

Frank Smyth is founder and executive director of Global Journalist Security. A veteran journalist, Frank has covered El Salvador, Guatemala, Cuba, Colombia, Rwanda, Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Jordan and Iraq, where, in 1991, he was imprisoned for 18 days. Through the 1990s, Frank was as an arms trafficking investigator for Human Rights Watch. He served as the Journalist Security Coordinator of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists for nine years until October 2011, and on the board of the European-based International News Safety Institute for seven years until 2010. He is a former Frank Ochberg Fellow at the Columbia University-based Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. Smyth has been awarded for his journalism as well as service to the journalism community. Frank has testified before the U.S. Congress, the Organization of American States, and the International Commission of Jurists. He has reported for CBS News, and written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Village Voice, The Nation, The New Republic and Foreign Affairs. Today, besides running GJS, Frank is Senior Advisor for Journalist Security at CPJ, where he also blogs on journalist security. Read more about Frank here.

How the partnership began

Frank sought out individuals that could address his need and would share the values, ethos and philosophy of GJS.  He found Sara in the summer of 2011 because of her experience, knowledge, and the ability to provide integrated training around personal safety, assault avoidance, self care, stress and trauma management. Frank and Sara connected immediately, as they both share a true desire to make a difference in the lives of those who fight for press freedom and human rights in often hostile environments. The rest is history. Global Journalist Security and Luminous Warrior partnered up and started to provide training for journalists, first for Mexican journalists in early 2012, and then around the globe.

Current Training

Luminous Warrior is also hosting training for journalists, human rights defenders and aid workers in its studio in Washington DC.

Click here for upcoming classes.

If you are interested in further training opportunities with GJS or Luminous Warrior for your group or organization, contact Frank Smyth at 202.244.0717.

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