10 Ways to Tell a Story Without Exposing the Person in It
Protecting beneficiary identities is the difference between storytelling that honors the people you serve and storytelling that exploits them. Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools a ministry has, but when the person in the story is a survivor of trafficking, abuse, or extreme poverty, that same power can wound. Trauma-informed storytelling is the discipline of telling those stories in a way that honors and protects the people in them, rather than exploiting their pain to catch a donor’s attention.
We spoke with Brittany Baker from IJM, which works to rescue people from slavery and violence. Almost every story IJM tells requires protecting the identity of the person who lived it. Here is how they do it, and how your ministry can too.
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Why Protecting Beneficiary Identities Comes First
When I asked Brittany what IJM does to protect the people they serve, the tactics were simple, pseudonyms and actors. But the deeper principle was honesty.
“I will always advocate for transparency. Tell a story as real as you can, with whatever permission you have from the beneficiary. If that person doesn’t want their face shown or name shared, be honest with your audience about that. People respond to someone not wanting the details of their life shown to the world. Your audience will respect that.” (Brittany Baker, IJM)
That instinct, protect the person first, is the heart of trauma-informed storytelling. Scripture puts the same charge on us:
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.” (Proverbs 31:8, ESV)
We are called to speak for the vulnerable, not to spend them. Exploiting someone’s story for our own benefit, even when the proceeds go on to help others, is not okay. So here are ten practical ways to tell powerful stories while protecting the identities of the people in them.
10 Ways to Protect Your Beneficiaries’ Identities
1. Get Permission
Before IJM tells any story, they get the person’s permission, and every ministry should do the same. Until you have it, the story is not yours to tell. Most ministries that get this wrong are not trying to exploit anyone; they simply assume the beneficiary wants their story told. But some of these people carry severe trauma, and reliving it may be too much. Make permission the non-negotiable first step.
2. Be Honest
IJM is upfront about the stories they tell. If they use a pseudonym, they say so. If they can’t share the full story, they explain why. Donors don’t just accept that honesty, they respect you more for the care it shows.
3. Plan and Be Intentional
Once you have permission, you owe it to the person to tell their story well. Balance conflict and hope; lean too far toward either and you are not telling the whole story. A story told carelessly both fails your audience and dishonors the person who entrusted it to you. We walk through story structure, including the Hero’s Journey, in other articles.
4. Use Pseudonyms
The simplest tactic on the list. There is nothing wrong with changing a name, as long as you tell your audience you have done it. Follow IJM’s content and you will see an asterisk beside almost every name, marking a pseudonym. Simple, and effective.
5. Hire Actors
This asks a bigger budget than some ministries have, but IJM hires actors to dramatize scenes from a beneficiary’s story, sometimes building an entire photo and video campaign around them. It creates immersion and consistency that stock photography never will.
6. Blur Faces and Voices
Blur faces in photos and video. IJM does it constantly, and FAI has used the technique to great effect in their films, sometimes altering voices too. Just tell your audience you are protecting the person’s identity, and they will understand.
7. Use Alternative Formats
Someone may not want to be on camera without being unwilling to have their story told at all. With permission, tell it through a podcast, a written piece, or another medium. Not everyone is comfortable on video, and that should not shrink your storytelling.
8. Change the Location
Don’t be afraid to withhold or change where a story took place. Communicate that you have done so to protect the person, and know that it can protect your national partners as well.
9. Reserve the Details
You rarely need to share every detail. Let beneficiaries hold back what they are not comfortable sharing, and calibrate what you share publicly versus privately. You might go deeper on a story in a closed-door fundraising setting than you ever would on social media.
10. Be Patient
Many of the people you serve were rescued out of deep trauma. You may not have permission to tell a story today, so archive it and return later. A year or two on, that same person may be ready, even eager, to tell it. We are all in process. Be patient with the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is trauma-informed storytelling?
It is telling the stories of people who have experienced trauma in a way that protects and honors them rather than re-exploiting their pain. In practice, it means getting consent, protecting identities, and letting the person control how much is shared.
How do you protect a beneficiary’s identity in a story?
Use pseudonyms, blur faces and voices, change or withhold the location, reserve sensitive details, or tell the story in a format the person is comfortable with. Always tell your audience what you changed and why.
Is it dishonest to use a pseudonym or actors?
No, as long as you are transparent about it. IJM marks pseudonyms with an asterisk and tells audiences when actors are used. Donors respect the care that protection shows.
Do you always need permission to tell a beneficiary’s story?
Yes. Permission is the non-negotiable first step. Assuming someone wants their story told, without asking, is the most common way ministries cause harm.
What if a beneficiary isn’t ready to share their story?
Respect it, and be patient. Archive the story and revisit it later. People heal, and someone who declines today may be ready and willing down the road.
Powerful stories and protected people are not a trade-off. They are the whole discipline of doing this well. If you want help telling your ministry’s stories with that kind of care, using a clear structure that engages donors without exposing the people you serve, our team would love to help. Explore our Story-Driven Messaging service.
