PH women journalists face harassment, intimidation, abuse - study

By the ACFJ, Aug. 17, 2025

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino women journalists face more physical than online intimidation, harassment and abuse. It is an experience encountered so frequently that it is seen as an expected part of their jobs. This is from a research to capture a snapshot of current-day female journalists, and which surveyed 129 practitioners online from May 2 to July 15, 2024.

The study revealed the most frequently named perpetrators of physical sexual harassment were news sources and contacts, government officials, colleagues, and men in uniform.

The “Newswomen’s Profile: Exploratory Research on the Situation of Filipino Women Journalists,” was conducted by Dr Cristine Cox, chairman of the Ateneo de Manila’s Department of Communication,  and Luz Rimban, executive director of the Asian Center for Journalism, Ateneo's journalism center. Key findings were shared September 2024 with representatives of the Journalist Safety Action Group (JSAG), which has initiated earlier in the year the convening of the Philippine Media Safety Summit.

The findings was among those shared during the Asian Women Journalists for Media Freedom regional conference at the Ateneo Aug. 8, 2025 by Cox. It marks the first time the study was discussed out in an open conference setting.  

The hope has been to include the situation of women in the Philippine Plan of Action for the Safety of Journalism being put together by the JSAG.

The study was intended to be a benchmark study capturing the profile and status of female journalists in the Philippines -- a data that has never existed before.

Single, educated, but underpaid  

The study revealed that more than half of women journalists are single, three-fourths have either an undergraduate or a master’s degree, more than half work full-time for news organizations, but more than one-fourth still receive salaries below the minimum wage. 

It found that these women frequently encounter intimidation, harassment, and threats, both online and in the physical world, to the point where such experiences are often seen as an expected part of their job.

According to the study, more women journalists experience physical harassment than online harassment.

• Physical intimidation, threats, and abuse include:

◦ Abuse of power or authority

◦ Attempts to damage their reputation or honor, name-calling, and insults

◦ First-hand experiences with verbal, written, and physical intimidation

◦ Sexual harassment, including remarks about physical appearance, intrusive questions about their personal life, and unwanted physical contact at work

• Online intimidation, threats, and abuse include:

◦ Hateful language

◦ Threats to professional standing

◦ Harassment through unwanted private messages

Perpetrators of abuse

The study identified the most common perpetrators of physical harassment as sources and contacts, government officials, colleagues, and men in uniform. Online harassment, on the other hand, is often perpetrated by anonymous individuals, followed by sources and contacts, government officials, men in uniform, colleagues, and superiors.

The study contains numerous personal anecdotes from journalists. One journalist was held hostage and threatened by a police narcotics chief. Another was body-shamed by a source.  Some were catcalled during location shoots or received inappropriate comments from guards and police.

Some journalists were subjected to unwanted stares, touches, and questions about their "vital statistics" from police during interviews. One reporter recalled a male colleague touching his pants in a lewd way before shaking her hand.

Online, some women journalists were targeted by trolls, who used hateful language and sexual insults.

Some journalists received threats, and their families were sent anonymous messages. One journalist had her picture and details posted on a Facebook page and received death threats. Another was called a "presstitute" and "whorenalist". 

Impact on journalists and the need for change

The study highlights the negative impact of these experiences on the mental health of women journalists. Many reported feeling physically and emotionally exhausted but continued to work due to the importance they attach to their jobs.

They also fear for their safety and found themselves having to exercise extra caution.

The study also found that gender-based discrimination is present in some newsrooms through unequal responsibilities, salary discrimination, and gender stereotypes. 

The study indicates that many women journalists believe that promoting gender equality and awareness in the newsroom should be a top priority. Developing emergency response programs was also identified as a crucial corrective measure. Other important preventive measures include trainings for safety and self-defense and local cybercrime divisions in the newsroom, while corrective actions include providing immediate legal support.

The research was initiated by the Movement for the Safety and Welfare of Women Journalists (We-Move), a consortium of about 50 women, most of them alumnae of the Ateneo’s MA Journalism.