Attacks and Harassment: The Impact on Female Journalists and Their Reporting

"This hostile environment is a direct attack on freedom of expression worldwide with the intent to silence women's voices and the stories they tell."

This report provides an examination of the professional dangers of being a female journalist in the news media today. It describes the global scale of online threats being experienced by female journalists, the types of threats, the short- and long-term emotional and professional impact of these threats, and their effect on freedom of expression, free speech, and the free press. The report was produced by the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) together with TrollBusters, a service for women journalists who are targets of online harassment.

The report is based on the findings of a global survey on violence, attacks, and online abuse against women journalists and media workers. The survey was launched in January 2018 and was distributed to a global sample of media workers through March 2018. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted from June 2017 to March 2018 with 25 women journalists at all levels of media - from journalism students to management.

The 597 women journalists and media workers who completed the survey work in a variety of media environments online and off, in cultures outside their countries of origin or domestically, on topics ranging from politics to the environment. They are visible and public on social media, most often using real names and their personal accounts to distribute content to users online. They are using platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and others to find sources, distribute content, and engage with users online as a daily part of their work routines.

The report describes how different actors are using physical and social media strategies against women journalists to intimidate, sow disinformation, discredit the journalist and the news media, and create significant professional harm. As stated in the executive summary, "Survey respondents stated that online attacks have become more visible and coordinated in the past five years, particularly with a rise of nationalism around the world and the use of digital networks to thwart political processes. Extremists, online manipulators and antagonists use online channels and the media itself to amplify their messages. Whether government-sponsored attacks in the Ukraine, so-called alt-right extremists in the United States, or the use of bots and fake accounts, online attacks against journalists have become more sophisticated in nature, more insidious in their damage to the news enterprise and more dangerous for journalists, both online and off." While all journalists are under threat globally, women journalists face an added scrutiny and threat because of their gender, and misogynistic attacks and retribution are often swift and coordinated.

The survey of female journalists showed that 63% indicated they had been threatened or harassed online, 58% indicated they had been threatened or harassed in person, and 26% indicated they had been physically attacked. One in 10 respondents has experienced a death threat in the past year. Approximately 40% of these journalists said they avoided reporting certain stories as a result of online harassment. In addition, 90% indicate that online threats have increased over the past five years, with 82% indicating that digital attacks are on the rise, including such activities as having social accounts hacked or data stolen or compromised.

The research uncovers the fact that, "for women journalists and media workers, physical, sexual and online abuse is a part of their daily work lives. Freelancers felt particularly vulnerable after online attacks and expressed frustration that they didn't have anyone to whom they felt they could report their abuses. As for the effects, respondents report both short and long-term emotional and psychological effects. Many respondents reported discomfort after the incidents, difficulty concentrating, or avoidance of people or places that reminded them of the incidents. Respondents reported professional consequences as well. Many journalists report having either abandoned their pursuit of specific stories or having difficulties with their sources as a result of the threats and abuse. Younger journalists with fewer years in the profession were also targeted; some considered leaving the profession entirely." The survey also found that there is a lack of effective response when the harassment or attacks are reported to management and law enforcement.

Finally, survey respondents were asked to share how they might be better supported when they are under attack. As stated in the report, "Overwhelmingly, these women suggest that organizations establish a protocol for educating and addressing harassment and that their claims be thoroughly investigated by management, law enforcement, social media platforms and others. However, there are no such mechanisms of support for freelancers, and many news organizations lack the expertise and resources to respond effectively."