Simpokolwe, while in August, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers Football Club supporters assaulted Times Group journalist Imam Wali as he was taking photos at Dedza Stadium. Zambian society, according to the 2021 African Media Barometer (AMB) report,(9) is plagued by deep-rooted polarisation along ethnic-regional and political lines. This phenomenon has not gone unnoticed by the media, a significant number of whom have taken to expressing empathy with particular political factions to safeguard their own existence and avoid retribution. The AMB report further states that repercussions in the form of intimidation and unrestrained violence is perpetrated by politically affiliated groups. For example, on December 31, 2022, and January 1, 2023, supporters of Zambia’s ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) attacked two radio stations and disrupted broadcasts by the opposition Economic and Equity Party’s president, Chilufya Tayali. Similar incidents include threats issued to City Television reporter, Wellington Chanda by the Kasama District Commissioner (DC) and some provincial youth leaders from the UNDP, as well as an attack on Petauke journalist, Lovemore Phiri of Pasme Radio, also by suspected UPND cadres. THE NEWSROOM AND ONLINE SPACES: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE Several studies demonstrate a prevalent reality in which a substantial percentage of female journalists are systematically disempowered and disadvantaged in the newsroom environment. This illustrates greater socioeconomic disparities, which are frequently replicated by institutional structures and procedures. The intersectionality of these inequities, which are exacerbated by characteristics such as colour, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation, increases the obstacles women journalists confront in their professional lives. In instances where journalists face online or offline harassment on the basis of their profession, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, or other similar attributes, there arises a profound sense of fear and trepidation, which can effectively deter them from doing their work and engaging in meaningful discourse. Such harassment can take various forms, including sexualised violence, harassment, disclosure of personal information such as residential addresses and places of employment, and threats against family members. The ultimate outcome of this type of intimidatory behaviour is the impairment of information dissemination and collaborative endeavours, disproportionately affecting women and minorities, and their respective views. Online violence, particularly, is said to be spilling offline. Late in 2020, UNESCO and the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ) conducted a study that indicated that one in five of female respondents had encountered offline attacks that they suspected began online.(10) Over the years, several studies have documented the effects of harassment experienced by women journalists. The recent global study conducted jointly by UNESCO-ICFJ, titled The Chilling: Global trends in online violence against women journalists, investigated 16 countries and has revealed a notable rise in online violence against women journalists.(11) The study highlights the inextricable connection between online attacks, disinformation, intersectional discrimination, and populist politics. Based on the experiences of women journalists, these revelations indicate that online harassment is growing and has become a ubiquitous problem for women journalists across the globe. It demonstrates the psychological distress and impact of threats and other acts of intimidation on women journalists’ work. The ACHPR Resolution 522 on the Protection of Women Against Digital Violence in Africa calls on African governments to, among others: (12) — Review/adopt legislation that aims at combating all forms of digital violence, and expanding the definition of gender-based violence to include digital violence against women including cyber-harassment, cyberstalking, sexist hate speech among other ICT-related violations; — Undertake research on digital violence against women. This research should include studies and the adjustment of crime statistics on digital violence against women to identify 9