Global survey to study violence against women journalists

International News Safety Institute today launched a global survey into violence against female journalists while inviting all women working in the news media to participate. “The survey, created in conjunction with the International Women’s Media Foundation, will look at the worldwide situation of women journalists and the nature of the dangers they face in relation to their work,” said a release from International News Safety Institute (INSI).[caption id=“attachment_1047537” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Iraqi al-Iqtisadiyah TV channel reporter Hoda Haddad. AFP[/caption] The Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs is supporting the effort which is a part of a wider programme initiated by Unesco regarding the safety of journalists. “In many parts of the world, women are threatened and attacked for the work they do – work which, in some cultures and countries, challenges gender stereotypes. These attacks range from sexual assault and rape to cyber-bullying, emotional harrassment and threats against their loved ones. Sadly, many of these crimes are not reported as a result of powerful cultural and professional stigmas,” said INSI, director Hannah Storm. “We hope that this important survey will allow women to confidentially share their experiences, so that we can get a real sense of the dangers and threats they face in their day-to-day work, and work to find ways to make the situation safer for them and their families,” Storm said. Based on the findings, INSI will work with other experts in the field and offer a series of recommendations aimed at increasing the safety of women journalists which will be published later this year, the release said.