Women in Media NGO has launched a platform to document cases of online violence against Ukrainian women journalists targeted for their professional activities. From now on, the interactive map allows users to track and analyze such attacks, helping to assess the scale of the problem and work toward its resolution.
The map documents cases of online aggression, including sexist or misogynistic attacks, sexualized images, hate speech, cyberbullying, and gender disinformation. It also tracks:
- doxing – the publication of personal information that increases physical security risks;
- defamation – the spread of false information aimed at discrediting or damaging a journalist’s reputation;
- threats – calls for violence, including death threats or threats of physical harm.
Online violence against female journalists most often escalates after they publish investigative reports on socially significant topics such as war, corruption, and human rights. Materials on gender equality, feminism, and LGBTIQ rights are especially vulnerable to online attacks.
Such attacks take various forms—intimidation, discrediting, and psychological pressure—and pose real threats both online and offline.
“This form of violence impacts the mental well-being of survivors, limits their ability to work, and, as journalists themselves report, often forces them into self-censorship out of fear for their lives or the safety of their loved ones,” says Liza Kuzmenko, head of Women in Media.
Among the most common forms of online violence against Ukrainian women in media are:
- Misogynistic and sexist rhetoric – for example, being labeled a “media whore;”
- Defamation – attempts to undermine professional reputation, such as falsely portraying a journalist as “pro-Russian.”
How to report a case?
Journalists who have experienced online attacks due to their professional activities or have witnessed such incidents can report them on the Women in Media website by filling out a short questionnaire.
The questionnaire was developed based on international approaches, including:
- UNESCO’s recommendations from the study The Chilling: recommendations for action responding to online violence against women journalists
At the initiative of Women in Media, these documents were translated into Ukrainian and published on the official websites of the relevant organizations. All recorded incidents are verified and added to the Incident Database.
As a reminder, Her Voice, Their Target, a study conducted by the NGO Women in Media in partnership with UNESCO and with the support of Japan, examines gendered online violence against Ukrainian women journalists. Based on a survey of 180 women media workers, the study revealed that 81% had experienced some form of online abuse — including sexist and misogynistic slurs, threats, doxing, and defamation.
What support can be expected?
Women in Media provides journalists with information and advocacy support, free consultations with cybersecurity experts, psychological assistance, and legal protection.
For example, in late November and early December, journalist Nastya Horpinchenko and the Slidstvo.Info editorial board faced a wave of online backlash following the release of their video about unscrupulous lawyers. The article exposed lawyers who illegally advise individuals subject to military service on how to evade mobilization.
“It is difficult for me to determine what percentage of the aggressive commentators were bots and how many were real people. They not only insulted me with familiar labels like ‘media whore’ and ‘Soros grant eater’ but also issued threats—ranging from vague warnings of ‘something bad’ happening at a meeting to direct calls to stone me. During this difficult time, I received tremendous support from my colleagues and Women in Media, who provided legal assistance. This helped me understand how to respond to such attacks legally—when to ignore them and when to turn to the police or the court,” shared Nastya Horpinchenko.
This initiative is supported by the Dutch Foreign Ministry as part of the project “Strengthening the Resilience of Women Journalists in Ukraine: Combating Online Violence and Gendered Disinformation,” implemented by the Women in Media NGO.