Journalists write about violence, but rarely about the violence they themselves experience.

After refusing a colleague's offer for a sexual encounter, the interviewee in the research "Women in Media: Stopping Harassment in the Workplace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia" experienced various forms of psychological harassment and emotional blackmail at work. She did not seek help. Neither did over a hundred of her female colleagues in media outlets across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia.

The results of the survey on the status of female journalists, editors, and media workers in these four countries, covered by research conducted by Mediacentar Sarajevo in collaboration with the Institute Krog and the Journalists' Association of Slovenia, the Journalists' Union of Croatia, and the Culture, Arts, and Media Trade Union "Nezavisnost" from Serbia, show that every second respondent has experienced one or more forms of sexual harassment. At least half of such cases come from colleagues in the newsroom, while a third comes from superiors.

The research also indicates that in the majority of cases, media outlets do not implement any preventive measures against sexual harassment in the workplace. Female journalists are generally not informed about preventive mechanisms or measures for reporting sexual harassment—if they even exist. The vast majority did not report the harassment to anyone.

Fear of losing an already insecure and underpaid job, fear of retaliation, and disbelief that they would receive any support within the newsroom are just some of the reasons why these serious violations of human rights continue to be silenced in the media across the region.

What are the experiences worldwide?

“No one is immune to sexual harassment,” stated Meghan Twohey, a journalist for The New York Times, who, along with her colleague Jodi Kantor, was instrumental in the downfall of Harvey Weinstein, a convicted rapist and former Hollywood producer.

“Journalism stepped in where the system failed,” Kantor said shortly after she and Twohey submitted their list for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2018.

The story was a powerful trigger for the #MeToo movement and empowered thousands of women to publicly share their own experiences of sexual harassment and violence. Although female journalists were not particularly prominent among major acting names and entertainment industry employees, several more visible TV hosts and journalists, such as Norah O'Donnell from CNN and journalist Ann Curry from NBC, spoke openly about sexual harassment in the media industry. Ultimately, Bill O'Reilly, then the most recognized host on Fox News and a favorite of American conservatives, was also accused of sexual harassment. He reached a settlement by paying $32 million. During the investigation, O'Reilly underestimated Emily Steel, a young journalist from The New York Times, who thoroughly researched and documented the allegations for a year while concurrently receiving his direct threats.

“I’m coming for you with everything I have, and you can take that as a threat,” O'Reilly told the journalist in one of their conversations.

Steel also received a Pulitzer Prize for her story, while O'Reilly blamed liberal media for everything.

The spread of the movement to Europe and the Balkans

The #MeToo movement, which occupies an important place in the fourth wave of digital feminism, has spilled into Europe and the Balkans at different speeds. While in Sweden it triggered media outlets to launch internal investigations, in the Balkans it has largely remained tied to social networks and individual testimonies. It was only after actress Milena Radulović publicly spoke out about sexual abuse in 2021 that the topic began to be discussed more seriously in the region. Even then, the media missed the opportunity to address their own backyard, with a significant number reporting on the case from Serbia in a highly unprofessional manner, giving considerable media space to the perpetrator and his defense.

Four years later, discussions about sexual harassment and abuse are still reluctant. Merely naming this form of violence and recognizing its elements poses difficulties for many interviewees.

Preliminary results from a survey conducted for the research in August and September 2025 show that female journalists and media workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia do not significantly recognize sexual harassment at first glance—despite every second having experienced one or more forms of it.

Half of the perpetrators are colleagues from the newsroom

Excessive touching, exploiting collective celebrations for inappropriate kisses, sending sexually explicit photos under the pretext of a joke, ridicule and psychological harassment in case of rejection, comments about appearance and buttocks as everyday occurrences in a business environment, addressing with “sweetheart” and “darling” in front of colleagues and in professional settings, attempted rape, and rape.

These are just some examples from media outlets in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia, highlighted through the research. The methodology of this regional research endeavor was developed thoroughly and long, with consultations involving media experts, lawyers, and specialists in violence response against women, and will serve as a starting point for advocating better mechanisms and responses to this deeply rooted scourge within the media profession. The research is being conducted in several phases. This text has been produced following the completion of a survey filled out by nearly 600 female journalists, editors, and other media workers.

A total of six researchers are involved in the study. Emil Čančar and Dina Vozab from Croatia emphasize that despite the sensitive topic, they received a large number of responses and noted the willingness of female journalists to share their experiences under the condition of anonymity.

“What particularly shocked me is that violence against women in the media is far more widespread than I thought,” Čančar emphasized.

The questionnaire results show that every second respondent has experienced one or more forms of sexual harassment, including unwanted comments about female sexuality that created discomfort, frequent stereotypical and sexist remarks about women as the inferior sex compared to men, and comments that they are “incapable of being sports journalists.” More than half of such cases come from colleagues in the newsroom, while a third comes from superiors. Similar comments from citizens in the field are also frequent (about 20% of cases), while online platforms are significantly more used for sexualized comments. However, it is important to note that the questionnaire results indicate that their number is greater within the newsrooms.

“There are hundreds of cases like mine in our media scene. Inquire at public RTV services. You wouldn’t believe what you would find out and what our colleagues endure,” stated one of the respondents in the questionnaire.

How do newsrooms react?

The questionnaire results also show that in most cases, media outlets do not implement any preventive measures against sexual harassment in the workplace. Female journalists are generally not informed about preventive mechanisms or measures to take if they experience any form of harassment, and where mechanisms do exist, more than half of the respondents are unsure whether they also apply to sexual harassment.

“It is particularly concerning that a large number of respondents are unaware that documents or regulations against harassment even exist in their newsrooms,” emphasizes Dina Vozab in her initial research observations.

Where mechanisms do exist, nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) believe that media outlets do nothing to encourage the use of these mechanisms and that there has been no information provided to employees, nor is there any effectiveness in the reporting procedure or support after the report.

More than two-thirds of respondents have not reported sexist comments or other forms of sexual harassment to anyone. Those who did most often addressed superiors or internal services within the media house (20%). In only 7% of cases did respondents seek help from unions or journalistic associations.

“I didn’t know how to act without making myself the problem,” shared a journalist regarding her experiences in the survey.

The problem of normalizing harassment

Tjaša Turnšek, a researcher from Slovenia, emphasizes the phenomenon of normalizing harassment in the media.

“Most female journalists do not report cases of harassment because they consider them to be normal and socially acceptable behavior, but at the same time, there is visible distrust in the existing protection mechanisms, which are slow and bureaucratic. These findings clearly indicate the need to strengthen procedures, introduce anonymous reporting, and create a culture of openness in newsrooms,” Turnšek says.

Perhaps this distrust is best illustrated by the message from one participant in the survey: “Never discuss this with colleagues at work because you never know who is on whose side. It’s better to talk with family and friends, outside of work.”

One reason may also be that in a small number of reported cases, in as many as three-quarters of instances—nothing happened. Only in four out of 133 cases was a disciplinary procedure initiated, in 14 internal procedures or mediations, while six cases received a judicial outcome. However, it is somewhat encouraging that initiated procedures generally concluded in favor of those who reported and initiated the procedures, or the procedure is still ongoing.

Lamija Kovačević and Boriša Mraović, researchers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlight that the overall results of the questionnaire reflect the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where half of the respondents reported having experienced some form of sexual harassment. In addition to the high prevalence of sexual harassment, there is noticeable low awareness about its forms, while for most participants in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the questionnaire results, the procedure for protection and reporting is unclear—if it has been established at all.

This conclusion is confirmed by an example from the survey: an editor at a larger media outlet, after reporting harassment and problematic behavior of a colleague, received only verbal support and advice to “manage on her own.” “I’m not a psychotherapist, I’m an editor,” she noted in her comment.

Finally, during the preparation of this text, our researcher from Serbia, Smiljana Milinkov, received direct death threats, and in the last month, attacks on journalists in Serbia have been on the rise.

“The prolonged political crisis has affected female journalists' willingness to participate in this research, but those who did emphasize that they have experienced various forms of sexual harassment. Among older generations, it is evident that they have only recently become aware that they have experienced sexual violence,” Milinkov emphasized in her initial impressions of the research.

Rarely or almost never is there a discussion about violence against female journalists

In conclusion, a personal note. While working at Mediacentar Sarajevo alongside editors and researchers who have dedicated much attention to monitoring media reporting on gender-based violence, I have established numerous friendships and connections with female journalists who are deeply engaged in this field. Meetings of female journalists reporting on violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina focus on questioning ethical reporting principles, current topics in institutional responses to violence, and sharing experiences and sources. Rarely or almost never is there a discussion about violence against female journalists.

Reading the results of the survey, I wished to call all the female journalists who have experienced sexual harassment individually and simply ask how they are. Because female journalists report on the violation of others' rights and gender-based violence, but rarely speak about what they themselves endure.

I hope that this research and the upcoming activities will provide a reason to pause and discuss the forms of violence to which female journalists are exposed in the newsroom and in the field. I also hope that the results will encourage newsrooms to reconsider what they allow and what their procedures are in response to these serious violations of human rights.

Source: Nezavisnost