ONLINE AND OFFLINE HARASSMENT OF WOMEN JOURNALISTS T HE digital world holds immense potential to amplify the voices of women, girls, non-binary and marginalised minority groups. However, the misuse of social media and other digital technologies has given rise to new forms and manifestations of gender-based violence; and exacerbated pre-existing forms of genderbased violence through their scale, speed, and reach. The implications of this are an ecosystem that is rooted in structural gender inequalities where in most instances the design, access, use and communications are, in some countries, disproportionate. This often makes gender-based online abuse and harassment reflect and exacerbate offline discrimination and gender disparities. Online and offline gender-based violence against women journalists continues to be of concern with women journalists continuing to be disproportionately targeted on various platforms online(1) and offline(2). This has become a global issue with farreaching consequences for the media profession. Getting women to stay in newsrooms is already difficult as toxic and hostile working environments lead to stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, cynicism, a lack of motivation and feelings of self-doubt on a personal level. Their leaving the industry has far-reaching implications for gender equality and inclusion as well as freedom of expression and diversity in the media on a wider scale. The impact of online violence can be personally and professionally devastating for the individual journalists targeted. By Molly Chimhanda, Kagure Gacheche and Susan Makore They also radiate — affecting their families, sources, colleagues and audiences. Increasingly, online violence is also spilling offline. A UNESCO-ICFJ survey of nearly 1,000 journalists in late 2020 found that 20% of women, who responded had experienced offline attacks that they believed had originated online(3). For years, various studies have documented 25