Better to Stay Silent Than Cause Problems«: How Newsrooms Protect Perpetrators, Not Women Journalists

Sexual harassment and gender-based violence represent fundamental forms of discrimination and human rights violations in the media sector as well, as demonstrated by research conducted by journalists’ unions, associations, and media organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia, and Croatia.

Imagine working in three different positions and experiencing sexual harassment in each of them. This is exactly what happened to one of the journalists participating in the research "Women in the Media: Mapping the Patterns of Workplace Harassment in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina". The experiences ranged from superiors using employment opportunities as leverage for coercion, verbal harassment, and frequent unwanted sexual advances, to showing photographs of genitalia and unwanted physical contact.

Moreover, this is not an isolated case. The research, conducted by partner organizations from the four countries mentioned above and involving 606 women journalists and media workers, found that more than 78 percent of respondents — the majority — had experienced some form of gender-based violence during their careers. This includes threats, unwanted messages, phone calls during and outside working hours, stalking, extortion, and other forms of violence.

Social Media as the Main Arena

Sexual harassment of women in the media does not occur only within newsrooms; it is also widespread online, especially on social media platforms. Yet online there is no silence — there is noise, and there are comments that humiliate and harass women journalists on a daily basis, as confirmed by all participants in the research. One journalist from Bosnia and Herzegovina even stated that this is a space where “there is no protection” and violence happens “simply because it can.”

The most common sources of sexist comments directed at women journalists are random social media users (26.9 percent), followed by individuals the journalists had written about in their articles. Nearly one-third of respondents confirmed they had been targeted by sexist comments from strangers on social media whom they had never met. In most cases, these are degrading sexual comments intended to undermine personal dignity and create fear and a hostile environment.

Online violence frequently spills over into the physical world, further affecting women journalists’ work. A similar case involved a Serbian journalist who faced several coordinated online harassment and attack campaigns. Her private information, including her photograph and phone number, was published online, leading to additional threats and abusive messages. Although she filed an official complaint, the prosecution dismissed the case, claiming there were no elements of a criminal offense. All of this affected her mental health, ultimately causing her to change newsrooms and reduce her presence on social media.

A noticeable difference also exists between online attacks targeting women journalists and those targeting their male colleagues. As explained by a journalist from Slovenia, online attacks against women are often personalized and sexualized, focusing on physical appearance and comments suggesting women should become mothers, among other things. Male colleagues, on the other hand, are typically criticized for their work or political views.

Despite the widespread harassment on social media, many participants in the research stated that speaking about these experiences felt “pointless,” which is why many incidents went unreported. However, this reluctance was not due to a lack of awareness about the importance of reporting violence; rather, the low number of reports concerning digital violence is primarily the result of structural and institutional barriers. The insufficient recognition of gender-based violence as a serious problem, combined with a perceived lack of support and increased feelings of shame, further contributes to the normalization of violence itself and the low reporting rate. In addition, newsrooms themselves rarely respond to these kinds of online comments. According to the research, this passivity contributes to the normalization of public violence against women working in the media.

What’s going on with the Reporting?

Despite European Union directives specifically recognizing journalists as a group facing online violence, online abuse continues to rise. This is demonstrated by comparative UNESCO research and was also confirmed by respondents in the study. Among other findings, 32 participants reported receiving pornographic or sexually explicit content, while 21 stated they had been shown such material. As many as 12 participants experienced their photographs and videos being shared without their knowledge and with sexual connotations.

Nevertheless, 80 percent of respondents in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia did not report the violence, while the figure was somewhat lower in Slovenia and Serbia, where 66 percent of women working in the media did not report digital violence. Of the small number of women who did report online violence (25 in total), most informed their superiors or responsible departments within media organizations. In seven cases, violence was reported to the police or prosecution authorities. In two cases, internal mediation procedures were initiated and remain ongoing.

Digital violence is rarely reported, which is why women journalists themselves have developed coping mechanisms to confront this problem and resist online harassment, unwanted messages, and comments. These mechanisms range from ignoring and distancing themselves from online comments (common among journalists in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina), to systematically documenting social media profiles (as reported by a respondent in Slovenia), and engaging with journalists’ associations (in Serbia). One participant from Croatia described using humor as a coping mechanism for dealing with problematic content received via email. “If I got a dollar for every hateful message, I could buy myself a decent apartment in Istria,” the journalist remarked.

Sexual harassment most frequently occurs within newsrooms themselves — in two-thirds of cases (67 percent), the perpetrators were colleagues or superiors. This figure only reinforces assumptions about the widespread culture of silence and the normalization of violence through sexist jokes, inappropriate language, and workplace discrimination.

Numerous Reported Cases

Daily situations are similar everywhere: women journalists are labeled “difficult” when they point out sexist behavior in newsrooms, advised to “become stronger,” “grow a thicker skin,” or accused of lacking a sense of humor. Inappropriate language, comments, and jokes are a key part of sexist newsroom culture, including addressing female colleagues with terms such as “sweetheart” or “dear,” as emphasized by one respondent from Slovenia.

The research lists numerous examples of editors and colleagues frequently making jokes with sexual connotations, intimidating women by shouting at them, and creating uncomfortable and unprofessional situations through unnecessary physical proximity. Such behavior is so deeply rooted in newsroom culture and working practices that sometimes even women journalists themselves struggle to assess whether someone has crossed a line. Is it “just a hug,” or is it harassment? Although they agree that even an inappropriate comment can constitute sexual harassment, some women stated they would rather “remain silent than cause trouble.”

The research found that among 176 women who filed complaints regarding attacks, harassment, or labor rights violations, nearly one-third reported suffering negative consequences for their careers after filing complaints. Such treatment was most pronounced in Serbia (35.9 percent), Croatia (31.43 percent), and Slovenia (30.3 percent). Alarmingly, among the 183 women who reflected on why they had not reported attacks, one-third said that attacks, harassment, and rights violations occur too frequently for reporting to make any meaningful difference.

Mechanisms Exist, But They Are Not Effectively Implemented

Although some media organizations have internal mechanisms aimed at preventing violence and harassment, the study found that these are largely inconsistent and ineffective. In response to the need to better protect women in the media, an international expert group developed a Rulebook within the “Women in the Media” project, focusing on the prevention of sexual harassment and other forms of harassment in newsrooms. The goal is to create safe, inclusive, and accountable working environments. The Rulebook also contains practical information for women journalists regarding protection mechanisms and procedures for reporting violence.

The Rulebook identifies several forms of harassment, ranging from physical assault, threats, verbal harassment, and sexual harassment to discreditation campaigns and non-verbal harassment related to the sharing and publication of photographs, including those generated with artificial intelligence tools. It also specifically addresses online harassment, including insults, misogynistic rhetoric, sexual harassment, false reporting campaigns, and deepfakes.

Some of the obligations outlined in the Rulebook require employers to establish confidential reporting mechanisms for violence and to appoint two designated workplace harassment protection officers.

Based on article by Lamija Kovačević (Mediacentar Sarajevo), you can read the entire article here.

 This text was prepared as part of the project "Ending workplace harassment in the media industry in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina - Women in the Media" with the financial support of the European Union.

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