Safety of Female Journalists Online (SOFJO)

Online harassment, threats and smear campaigns targeting women journalists challenge their ability to carry out their jobs freely and safely, leading to self-censorship and a loss of women’s voices.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media became the very first institution within any intergovernmental framework to sound the alarm on the risks and consequences of gendered online violence against women journalists. Ever since 2015, the “Safety of Female Journalists Online (SOFJO)” project has supported the right of women journalists to practice their profession freely and without fear of retaliation. Through awareness campaigns and the promotion of tailored support mechanisms, SOFJO has highlighted the need for participating States and other stakeholders to tackle this problem. The development of specific indicators has enhanced the systematic monitoring of online violence, revealing that violence against women journalists in digital spaces can escalate into offline intimidation and physical harm.