Actions to stop online harassment of women journalists
Online harassment of women journalists is a huge problem for media businesses and journalism. Urgent action is needed to tackle widespread online abuse and harassment faced by women journalists around the world. This is the conclusion from two global surveys made earlier this year by the International Federation of Journalists.
Recognizing the problem, a practical guide for women journalists on how to respond to online harassment is included in a pack of practical and legal tools for journalists, media managers and newsrooms developed by Thomson Reuters Foundation, UNESCO, Women’s Media Foundation and the International News Safety Institute.
The Coalition Against Online Violence has launched an Online Violence Response Hub to aid women journalists with the rising threat of violence online. The Coalition is led by the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF).
The site supports women journalists with ways to fight back against online violence while protecting their privacy, accessing trauma support, pursuing accountability, and continuing to work without self-censorship, the Coalition said.
The IFJ says it has previously exposed the scale of online abuse suffered by women journalists with almost two-thirds having been subjected to online harassment. Only half of the women targeted online reported the attacks to their media management, union or the police, and in two-thirds of the cases nothing was done.
A 2022 IFJ survey comprising responses from 56 member unions show:
- 79% of unions and associations said they were aware of cases of online abuse among their members.
- Just 16% have collective agreements covering online abuse
- 75% of unions and associations have made online abuse a priority issue
- 63% of unions backed a call to adopt and ratify ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work
”Unions and associations of journalists said they supported their members through legal assistance, public statements as well as training on digital safety and guidelines to prevent online abuse”, IFJ says.
”Specific union measures to fight online violence include the adoption of protection codes, the setting up of national committees for the safety of journalists, mapping of cases, the development of an index of physical security of members and platforms to report attacks or free legal help lines.”
IFJ says a second survey to check what media organisations are doing about the problem shows a lack of action.
“161 journalists, media professionals and media managers representing 37 countries across the world were questioned.”
IFJ says the findings are :
- Two-thirds of the respondents claimed online harassment was not a priority for their media company, and 44% said the issue was not even discussed.
- Only a fifth of respondents said their media adopted a protocol or mechanism that allows women journalists and media workers to report online abuse and be supported and protected in such cases.
”The support granted by media organisations, when existent, consisted mainly of legal assistance, public support , access to safe spaces and trained support staff and counselling”, IFJ says.
“Too many women journalists, in particular freelancers, are affected by online abuse and leave social media to avoid further harassment”, IFJ gender council chair Maria Angeles Samperio said in a statement.
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