Dozens of female journalists working in Rwanda have been sexually harassed by their senior male colleagues, at least according to the latest survey by Women in News— a media development programme working to close the gender gap in news media. The online survey, which polled 103 journalists in the country, revealed that in 2020 the prevalence of verbal sexual harassment among women journalists was at 40.7 per cent while physical harassment was at 32 per cent. The biggest offenders were reported to be editors and programme managers – a critical case of abuse of power—which puts the safety of newsrooms in serious disrepute. While reports of sexual harassment in newsrooms are not new, this current tide is backed up by numerous testimonies captured in a report. But when people talk about sexual harassment, the finger does not only point towards the direction of men, some also suffer the same at the hands of women, especially their superiors. The report suggests that 24 per cent of male journalists experienced verbal sexual harassment while 12.2 per cent were physically harassed. So, it is largely about the power and control the superiors wield over their victims. And, in large part, due to the fear of losing their job positions many victims would rather go to the grave with their secrets. While the media may not necessarily be the worst offender it has a duty to be the best responder to sexual harassment reports. Therefore, media houses and associations in this country must put in place serious measures to tackle this vice. According to the report, action taken against the offenders by media organisations is limited and the most common response is warning the accused. Newsrooms must introduce proper reporting methods and penalties for sexual abuse while protecting the victim. The New Times has taken the lead and rolled out a comprehensive sexual harassment policy, which it has also shared with some other media organisations. We must make our newsrooms safe for everyone to operate, especially women.
