A collection of essays on personal experiences with harassment
In the Special Rapporteur’s report on gender justice and freedom of expression, Irene Khan described how acts and threats of violence being used to silence women are the most pervasive and pernicious form of gendered censorship.
Now, in this collection of 11 personal essays from female journalists from around the world, we gain a stark insight into how wide-ranging and ubiquitous hateful abuse of women journalists is. The pervasiveness and complexity of this ongoing and disturbing issue is also examined.
These essays reflect insightful and moving personal perspectives from different regions of the world, alongside forewords from Irene Khan and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Freedom of Expression and Journalist Safety Christine Amanpour. They highlight the need for journalism to reflect diverse voices and how much more intersectional work needs to done in order to fully tackle the ongoing discrimination of female journalists, especially those from marginalized groups.
These personal stories, which you can read below, are not the stories of victims. They are testimonies of courage, resilience and solidarity, of defiance against gender stereotypes and the agency of women who refuse to shut up or be shut out. Through their courageous testimonies they tell us of the difficulties, problems and personal tragedies they have been forced to face in their careers. But they also tell us stories of resistance, of fighting back, of unity and solidarity.
Content Warning: This document includes graphic content that illustrates the severity of violence against women journalists, including references to sexual violence and gendered or racial profanities. This content is not included gratuitously. The creators believe it is essential to illustrate the types, methods and patterns of violence that continue to be used against women journalists.
