Two-thirds of women journalists face abuse

Tarun Tejpal, the 50-year-old founder and editor-in-chief of India's leading investigative magazine Tehelka, speaks with the media upon his arrival at the airport on his way to Goa, in New Delhi November 29, 2013. The man at the centre of a sexual assault scandal that has whipped India's media into a frenzy is no average Joe. Tejpal is one of India's most powerful journalists, and accusations that he sexually assaulted a colleague have uncovered what lawyers say is an often buried truth - such violence is common in the highest echelons of society. An investigation into Tejpal, who denies the accusations, has dominated headlines for eight days as news outlets follow every twist and turn. It comes days after similar accusations were made by an intern against a retired Supreme Court judge. REUTERS

About two-thirds of women journalists have experienced abuse, harassment or threats at work, according to the first global survey on violence against women working in media organisations.

The survey by Washington-based International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) and London-based International News Safety Institute included 822 women media workers interviewed between July and late November this year.

It found that the majority of threats, intimidation and abuse directed towards women media workers occurred in the work place and were committed by male bosses, supervisors and co-workers, according to a press release issued by IWMF.

"It is shocking to see that more than half (64.48 per cent) of the 822 women journalists who responded to our survey have experienced some sort of 'intimidation, threats or abuse' in relation to their work," said Elisa Lees Munoz, executive director of the IWMF.

The survey found that the majority of women who are harassed do not report what has happened to them, despite the fact that more than half of them confirmed that the experience had a psychological impact, the release said.

Of the respondents, 82 per cent were reporters with 49 per cent working in newspapers, 24 per cent in magazines, 21 per cent in TV and 16 per cent in radio.

Almost 29 per cent of the respondents worked in Asia and the Pacific, over 21 per cent in North America, 19 per cent in Europe, about 13 per cent in Africa, 11 per cent in Latin and South America, and 5 per cent in Arab states.

The survey was carried out with funding from the Government of Austria and supported by UNESCO.

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