Survey reveals abuse against journalists
New research by the journalists’ NUJ union has revealed “shocking evidence” of abuse and harassment of journalists, including being punched, threatened with knives, forcibly detained, kicked and spat at.
The online member survey received responses from more than 300 journalists. Twenty-one percent of respondents reported physical assaults or attacks, and 27% of respondents said they had experienced physical threats. These were both online and offline and included death threats, rape threats and other threats to their families and homes.
“It is wholly unacceptable and outrageous that NUJ members are being routinely abused, harassed and intimidated in the course of doing their job,” said NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet. “Such abuse and harassment goes beyond the awful personal impact – it also risks silencing journalists and censoring debates. Those under attack – disproportionately women and black and minority ethnic journalists – admit to thinking twice about what they say or publish, with self-censorship a natural self-protective reflex.”
She said the union would not allow abuse and harassment to be seen as “part of the job”. As part of the newly established National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, the NUJ is committed to ensuring the committee’s action plan tackles this problem. Employers must do more to ensure the safety of journalists facing abuse, by providing adequate training and ensuring that freelances are given better support, and the police must deal with cases more robustly and consistently, she added.