Protecting women journalists: what newsrooms should do within the first 24 hours of an online attack

Online attacks disproportionately target women journalists, particularly those covering gender issues, women’s rights and gender-based violence. Most of this harassment takes the form of sexist, sexualized and threatening messages that can seriously harm journalists’ mental health, physical safety and professional reputation. A rapid, coordinated response from newsrooms in the first 24 hours is critical to stabilise the situation, prevent escalation and support the journalist.

Eighty-one per cent of Ukrainian women journalists reported experiencing online violence, according to the 2025 study by the NGO Women in Media and UNESCO, “Her Voice, Their Target.” Yet only 64% of these women considered these incidents as attacks, showing the difficulty in identifying and responding to threats, especially in conflict zones. Globally, online harassment and intimidation of women journalists is rising, and 60% of the journalists surveyed for the report “Journalism in the #MeToo Era” by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) know at least one journalist who has been a victim of cyberharassment due to their work covering women’s rights and gender-based violence.

Discover the practical guide by Women in Media in English and Ukrainian

“Protecting women journalists today means addressing not only physical threats but also gender-based online violence. The first 24 hours are critical — documenting abuse, coordinating inside the newsroom, and supporting the journalist can prevent escalation and long-term harm. This is the chilling effect: violence does not harm only one journalist — it silences many others.”
Liza Kuzmenko, head of Women in Media

To respond effectively, newsrooms should follow these practical steps immediately after an attack:

1. Recognise and support the journalist: Listen carefully without judgment, acknowledge the impact of the attack, and reassure them that the newsroom takes the incident seriously. Avoid comments that downplay the situation or suggest the journalist provoked the abuse.
2. Assess the level of the threat: Quickly evaluate the nature of the attack. Determine whether risks are psychological (harassment, intimidation), legal (defamation, privacy violations) and/or physical (threats to personal safety). Identify any patterns that suggest there was an escalation or deliberate targeting.
3. Secure all devices and online accounts: Immediately update passwords on email, social media and work accounts. Enable two-factor authentication where possible. Ensure devices are secure, and limit public exposure of sensitive personal or professional information. The RSF Resources for Journalists website offers practical guidelines on digital security measures.
4. Provide psychological support: Offer counselling, trauma support and access to mental health professionals. Allow the journalist time and space to process the attack and decide how to respond. Recognise that their psychological safety is critical for them to continue their work.
5. Document the attack: Systematically collect screenshots, URLs, messages and any related evidence. Maintain a secure record that can be used for legal action, reporting online attacks to social media platforms and advocacy. Documenting early preserves accuracy and helps establish patterns of abuse.
6. Engage legal counsel: Involve a lawyer promptly to review potential defamation, privacy, or harassment claims. Seek advice on whether to report the case to the authorities, take civil action, or respond publicly.
7. Decide whether to respond publicly: Coordinate any statements carefully. Ensure the journalist consents to the messaging, and plan communications to minimise further exposure or escalation. Consider whether a neutral, factual response or no public response is safest.

Inform the entire editorial team: Brief colleagues internally about the attack, its risks, and the steps being taken. This ensures coordinated support, prevents unintentional sharing of information that could worsen the situation, and fosters a safe newsroom environment. A global, coordinated action plan safeguards both the individual journalist and the broader press environment, ensuring that women journalists can continue their work safely, without fear or self-censorship.

This guide is based on the practices of the following organisations: UNESCO, Coalition Against Online Violence, PEN America, Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, IWMF. It has been prepared as part of the initiative “Strengthening the Resilience of Women Journalists in Ukraine: Countering Online Violence and Gendered Disinformation,” implemented by the Women in Media NGO with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.