Digital violence silences women journalists, threatening safety and press freedom

UNESCO’s global study paints a stark picture: 73% of women journalists have experienced online violence, and one in four has received death threats or threats of physical harm.

Every day, women journalists around the world log into their social media accounts knowing they may face an avalanche of abuse—sexualized insults, body-shaming, threats of violence, and coordinated harassment campaigns. UNESCO’s global study paints a stark picture: 73% of women journalists have experienced online violence, and one in four has received death threats or threats of physical harm.

In East and Southern Africa, where digital spaces are rapidly expanding but protections remain limited, these attacks are not abstract numbers—they are daily, lived realities affecting how women work, speak, and safeguard themselves.

Digital Violence: A Tool Used to Silence Women

Digital violence—also known as technology-facilitated violence against women—involves using online platforms to intimidate, discredit, and suppress women’s voices. It often escalates from online insults to real-world threats and personal targeting. As the digital environment becomes more central to journalism, understanding this phenomenon has become essential to defending press freedom and gender equality.

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“The insults are very sexual”: South African journalist endures daily harassment

For Kgomotso Modise, a South African courts and crime reporter at Eyewitness News (EWN), online harassment has become a chilling occupational hazard.

“The insults are very sexual,” she explains. While male colleagues are dismissed as “stupid,” Modise faces attacks that sexualize her work, appearance, and credibility. The harassment escalated during the high-profile Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, where polarized public opinions fed coordinated abuse targeting women journalists.

This gendered dimension is crucial: criticism of journalistic work can be constructive, but abuse weaponizing femininity and sexuality is designed solely to silence women.

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When Online Abuse Crosses the Line

In one incident, after Modise criticized extrajudicial killings, a troll pulled childhood photos from her Facebook page and shared them alongside graphic threats of sexual violence—targeting both her and her young niece.

“That went too far,” she recalls. “It wasn’t just criticism. It was a violation.”

This tactic—weaponizing private information—is increasingly common in digital violence campaigns against women journalists.

Modise warns:

“We need stronger collaboration with law enforcement and cyber experts to unmask perpetrators. Once people face consequences, the message will be clear.”

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The Cost: Mental Health Strain, Self-Censorship, Trauma

The constant abuse takes a profound emotional toll. Many women begin to self-censor, limiting reporting and commentary to avoid attacks.

Kenyan journalist Cecilia Maundu, host of the Digital Dada podcast on online safety, says:

“When journalists self-censor, society loses. Freedom of information is jeopardized.”

Her interviews reveal widespread trauma among women journalists:

• A TV anchor began self-censoring to avoid renewed abuse

• One journalist sought therapy after extreme trolling

• Another saw attacks spill over to her husband and children

• Several women have deactivated social media accounts entirely for their mental safety

These are not isolated cases—they reflect a global mental health crisis among women in the media.

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Digital Abuse Mirrors Deep Gender Inequality

Modise points out that even seemingly harmless comments reveal societal bias. Compliments like “beauty with brains” imply surprise that a woman can be both intelligent and attractive—reinforcing stereotypes that fuel online misogyny.

Digital spaces magnify these biases, turning them into tools of control and intimidation.

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What Women Journalists Need: Support, Accountability, and Safer Digital Spaces

Change is possible. At the African Women in Media Conference (2023) in Kigali, media organizations adopted a landmark declaration condemning violence against women—online and offline—and calling for systemic reforms.

Modise's newsroom has taken steps, offering psychological support and pairing women with male colleagues on high-risk assignments. But she insists this is not enough.

Women journalists need:

1. Stronger institutional support

Newsrooms should adopt safety protocols, provide mental health services, and train staff to respond to digital threats.

2. Legal accountability for perpetrators

Most online abusers act with impunity. Collaboration between police and cyber units is essential.

3. Responsible action from tech companies

Platform providers must:

• Remove harmful content faster

• Improve reporting mechanisms

• Hire more women and safety experts to design secure digital spaces

4. Funding for women’s rights organizations

Survivors need access to resources, legal support, and counselling.

5. Prevention through education

Digital literacy and online safety programmes can empower women and challenge toxic online cultures.

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Protecting Women Journalists Means Protecting Democracy

Digital violence against women journalists is not only a personal threat—it is a threat to free expression, public debate, and democratic participation. Silencing women’s voices undermines diverse storytelling and limits society’s access to truth.

For Modise, the determination to continue reporting remains stronger than the hate:

“My love for informing and educating outweighs the hate. When someone says, ‘Thank you for sharing this’ – that keeps me going.”

Ensuring her safety—and the safety of thousands of women like her—is essential to safeguarding journalism itself.