‘The goal is silence’: Women journalists report increasing violence online

The toll online violence takes on journalists, as people
“Whether you are harassed, sexually harassed, face cyber libel, or have images that are spread without your consent, at the end of the day, the victim is the one making the effort to correct it”, explains Davila. “And imagine the effort. That’s what angers me. Platforms are not held to account, even as they become more popular and more powerful.”

In the course of fighting online violence and disinformation, Davila has hired legal services, collected and tracked the numerous pieces of abusive content, and sent countless letters. Even when posts and accounts are deleted, new ones appear in their place.

Fourteen per cent of women journalists and media workers surveyed through Tipping Point have taken action against perpetrators, enablers or employers. But nearly a quarter report having been diagnosed with anxiety or depression related to the online violence they’ve experienced. Almost 13 per cent reported being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Donner describes how even the anticipation of online violence can take a toll on journalists. “The fear is so prevalent that [you wonder], ‘If we do this, if we write this kind of story, are we going to get attacked?’”

“To be a woman in digital media is the same as it is to be any woman who is public-facing at all”, says Donner, “It is a constant high-wire act.”

Link to full story here.