We can’t talk about press freedom without talking about misogyny
Trolling and other forms of online violence against female journalists have also triggered offline attacks, harassment and abuse. Some reporters have paid with their lives
TL;DR
- Female reporters face gendered attacks and misogyny, which are amplified online and in person.
- The article highlights the cases of Daphne Caruana Galizia, murdered for investigating corruption, and Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian detention after investigating war crimes.
- Online violence against women journalists includes trolling, disinformation, cyberstalking, doxing, and threats of sexual violence.
- These attacks can have severe real-world consequences, including abuse, harassment, assault, and even death.
- Political actors and nationalist groups are often instigators of online attacks against women journalists.
- Reporting on war, corruption, crime, feminism, and sex/gender rights carries higher risks for female journalists.
- Gendered attacks can lead to self-censorship or women leaving the profession, impacting the quality of information, especially in contexts like Ukraine where women constitute a majority of journalists.
- Social media platforms are failing to provide safe spaces for journalists.
- Employers and the wider community have a responsibility to protect journalists and speak out against abuse.