So many victims of media misconduct do not know where to turn.  Those targeted by the media have often been caught up in a newsworthy event, which has led to media interest.  Frequently, this will have involved some form of trauma or bereavement, which can be compounded by excessive press intrusion.  The last thing people in that position need is an oblique, complex and taxing process to protect them.

Yet, in pursuing justice, victims face a fractured legal and regulatory landscape.  Do they have a viable claim and, if so, how do they pursue it?  If they have a complaint, do they go to Ofcom, Impress, IPSO, or an inhouse process?  Should they try to contact the offending journalist,  publisher or broadcaster directly?

This is where our new charity, The Press Justice Project, comes in.

When victims of media wrongdoing come to us, we will guide them on how they can obtain remedy, what options they have, and advise on their prospects of success.

Broadcast is generally easy: when people come to us having been affected by unethical conduct on TV or radio, we encourage them to go to Ofcom.

It is more complicated with online and print publication.  Where the publisher is a member of Impress we will direct them to the regulator and, if they believe a claim may be viable, we will encourage them to take it up with Impress’ arbitration system.

If the publisher is in IPSO, we will advise them on the complaints process and assist with drafting correspondence.

We also have a generous team of trusted partners.  If there appears to be a viable legal claim, we will put them in touch with an experienced lawyer to review their case.  If a victim would benefit from any kind of PR support, we have partners who can advise on that too.

Our mission is to provide holistic support to ordinary people affected by media abuse, or caught in the midst of a media storm.

One day, we would like to see all media independently regulated – by Ofcom, Impress, or another independent regulator recognised in the Royal Charter on Self-Regulation of the Press.

This will ensure that anyone affected by media wrongdoing can access redress and, where the culprit is a digital or print newspaper, that victims can also obtain legal remedies through arbitration.  But in the meantime, we will help people to navigate the limited options for justice which are accessible today.

We will also educate the public and other stakeholders about standards in the media.

And in pursuit of our educational work, we have launched a media law conference aimed at lawyers, journalists, victims of press wrongdoing and the wider public, taking place in October.

Titled “Reputation, privacy, and the future of media law”, the event will be hosted by international firm Brown Rudnick, and features senior barristers, solicitors, regulators and other experts.

The conference will run for a half-day on October 17th, from 3pm to 6pm, and is followed by networking drinks.

All ticket sales will support the work of our charity, advising people affected by misconduct in the press and educating the public about media standards.

Among the speakers are KCs Hugh Tomlinson (Matrix), William Bennett (5RB) and Sara Mansoori (Matrix); solicitors Charlotte Harris (Brown Rudnick), Rachael Somerset (Level Law) and Tamsin Allen (Bindmans); Impress CEO Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana, and playwright Tim Walker.

Tickets are just £150 each and available here.

It promises to be a great event, and an opportunity to learn more about our work.

Media wrongdoing is not going away any time soon.  Addressing it in the long-term is a challenge for legislators.  But in the meantime, we at The Press Justice Project will do all we can to protect the victims.

Stephen Kinsella is the Chair of the Trustees of the Press Justice Project.