This year’s uprisings and revolutions in the Middle East have put many journalists in dangerous situations. Perhaps one of the most pressing issues that have come to the forefront is that of sexual assault on journalists- by far the majority of whom are women. The horrific sexual and physical assault on CBS reporter Lara Logan in Egypt in February and her subsequent sharing of the terrible details of the ordeal was one of the first instances where a female reporter has brought the issue to the spotlight.
A debate regarding the safety of women journalists, the kinds of assignments they should go on and the role of the news organization to ensure their safety started to take place in the media sphere. Logan’s coming forward inspired other female journalists to do the same and explain what they went through and why the vast majority of them never reported it.
Press freedom groups such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) started incorporating elements discussing this issue in their security guidebook- surprisingly they had not done so before. Certain recommendations and shortcomings have been brought to the light.
However, almost nine months after the Logan incident, two more female journalists were sexually assaulted in Egypt. These two incidents stirred the debate even more: Was it safe for female journalists to report from Egypt?
This paper will look at the three instances of sexual assaults on female journalists in Egypt and examine some of the new information regarding sexual assault of journalists. It will also bring forward the arguments of female foreign correspondents who are angered by the concept of being barred from their assignments. Finally it will examine some of the new developments regarding this issue and set forth some recommendations.
Three sexual assaults, one revolution:
February 11, 2011 was a historic day for Egypt. Hosni Mubarak had stepped down as president after 30 years of an iron fist rule and 18 days of mass street protests. It was a reporters dream to cover such a monumental event in the strategic country.
However, the same day will also be remembered as the day a horrific event took place that would start a major discussion in the journalism field. Lara Logan was reporting from Tahrir Square, the center of protests in Cairo, when she was separated from her crew by a frenzied mob of about 200-300 men. In a 60 Minutes interview about the attack, Logan discussed the events and said that it all started out of nowhere[1]. “And it's like suddenly, before I even know what's happening, I feel hands grabbing my breasts, grabbing my crotch, grabbing me from behind. I mean - and it's not one person and then it stops - it's like one person and another person and another person,[2]” she said.
The sexual assault was so horrific, that she didn’t realize she was also being beaten with flagpoles and sticks, she said. “...The sexual assault, was all I could feel, was their hands raping me over and over and over again,[3]” she said.
After around 25 minutes of sustained sexual violence and being pulled and pushed in different directions by the mob, Logan stumbled and fell into the arms of an Egyptian woman who was camping in the square. The woman covered Logan’s naked body and a group of citizens formed a barrier around her. After being persuaded by her crew, some soldiers were finally able to beat their way through the mob and return Logan to safety.
Following the attack on Logan and her choice to go public, other journalists who experienced sexual assault were more willing to discuss what they went through. In June, the CPJ–where Logan is a board member- published a special report entitled The Silencing Crime: Sexual violence and journalists[4]. CPJ interviewed over four dozen journalists who experienced varying degrees of sexual assault. They included 27 local journalists- five of whom described being “brutally raped” and 25 international journalists- two of whom reported being raped and five who described “serious sexual violation.[5]”
The report contended that sexual aggression on the job took many forms and that the vast majority of it was on females. The report found that many of the assaults fall into three general types: “targeted sexual violation of specific journalists, often in reprisal for their work; mob-related sexual violence against journalists covering public events; and sexual abuse of journalists in detention or captivity.”
On November 23, Egyptian-American journalist Mona Eltahawy was covering the protests that were decrying military rule. Eltahawy was tweeting her observations, when suddenly she wrote “beaten arrested in interior ministry.[6]” The next day, Eltahawy tweeted that she was released after 12 hours in detention and she revealed more about her ordeal. One of her tweets revealed that she was sexually assaulted. “5 or 6 surrounded me, groped and prodded my breasts, grabbed my genital area and I lost count how many hands tried to get into my trousers.[7]”
In an interview with NPR she said that the security forces “…beat me viciously with their sticks, which is how my left arm and my right hand were broken, and then they sexually assaulted me, which I just had hands all over my body; on my breasts, in between my legs. I lost count of the number of hands that tried to get into my trousers. And all of this while they were beating me and cursing me, pulling my hair and dragging me towards the interior ministry.[8]”
The same day of Eltahawy’s release, a French journalist working for France 3 was beaten and sexually assaulted while covering the protests. She told the AFP that she and her camera-man were mobbed by young people around 14 or 15 years of age [9]. They were dragged closer to the square and then she became separated from her cameraman. "We were then assaulted by a crowd of men. I was beaten by a group of youngsters and adults who tore my clothes" and then molested her in a way that "would be considered rape,” Sinz said.
"Some people tried to help me but failed. I was lynched. It lasted three quarters of an hour before I was taken out. I thought I was going to die.”
Is it too much of a risk for women journalists?
Merely hours after confirmed reports of Logan’s attack, several network executives held a meeting to discuss whether female journalists belong in the Middle East, according to columnist Rob Shuter[10]. He writes that he talked to three different senior management sources that told him several networks were debating removing female journalists from Egypt until safety can be guaranteed. He quotes an unidentified “top CBS source[11]” as telling him that there is no doubt that women have proved they are as good as male reporters, if not better. “However, the simple fact exists that in certain environments, being a woman is more dangerous, and one such place is the Middle East,[12]" the source said.
After the attack on Eltahaway and Sinz last month, Reporters Sans Frontiers took the step to suggest that media refrain from sending female journalists to report on the events in Egypt. In the original statement they said:
This is at least the third time a woman reporter has been sexually assaulted since the start of the Egyptian revolution. Media should take this into account and for the time being stop sending female journalists to cover the situation in Egypt. It is unfortunate that we have come to this but, given the violence of these assaults, there is no other solution[13].
However, the Guardian reported that “the advice triggered a wave of objections from journalists[14]”, and that the RSF amended their statement within hours.
The modified statement urged editors to prioritize the safety of their staff and said:
It is more dangerous for a woman than a man to cover the demonstrations in Tahrir Square. That is the reality and the media must face it. It is the first time that there have been repeated sexual assaults against women reporters in the same place. The media must keep this in mind when sending staff there and must take special safety measures.
We are not saying the international media should pull out and stop covering events in Egypt. But they need to adapt to the threats that currently exist. And women journalists going to Tahrir Square should be aware of this situation.[15]
Many female journalists, and especially female foreign correspondents, were insulted and wrote about their frustration with the statement. In an entry for the Guardian[16], British journalist Jenny Kleeman called it discrimination and said instead of making such statements, the RSF should campaign for editors to spend more money on the teams that are dispatched abroad. She writes:
Their position is clear, and still discriminatory: editors shouldn't be sending female staff to cover the protests, and the women who do go there to work as reporters have been warned. Does that mean that now if another female journalist is attacked in Tahrir Square, it will be her fault?
If RSF really wanted to protect women working for the media in Tahrir Square, it could campaign for editors to spend more money on the teams they send there…Instead, RSF is saying the only way to protect women reporters is to impose wholesale discrimination against them.
It's profoundly disappointing, and, for once, I hope that no editor is listening to them. [17]
Kleeman stipulates that the threat on women is real and should not be underestimated however she asserts that the threat to men is the same and she points to the fact that the majority of journalists killed on the job this year are male. She also states that women have fought hard to be able to convince their editors they should be treated equally and this should not be taken lightly.
Being a female journalist could actually help get stories that would be difficult for male journalist to have access to. In an article[18] published after Logan’s attack, journalist Kim Barker points to stories such as child marriage in India and rape in Congo and Haiti. “[Women journalists] do a pretty good job of covering what it’s like to live in a war, not just die in one. Without female correspondents in war zones, the experiences of women there may be only a rumor,” she writes. “Female journalists often tell those stories in the most compelling ways, because abused women are sometimes more comfortable talking to them. And those stories are at least as important as accounts of battles.[19]”
Al Jazeera foreign correspondent Dorothy Paravaz who was detained for 19 days between Syria and Iran earlier this year said she was frustrated by the debate. "For decades, our male counterparts have been arrested, beaten up, tortured, even killed and it's inconceivable that any editor would say to stop sending reporters,[20]” she said. "The reality is that, in the Middle East in particular, some of the best correspondents in the field are women."
Channel 4’s News international editor Lindsey Hilsum conveyed similar sentiment. She writes that the debate has shifted into old territory and that “those who hate to see women reporting the big stories disguise their glee as concern, but their message is the same - you shouldn't be out there.[21]” She argues that she doesn’t believe that there is something “especially dangerous” about being a female journalist reporting on the frontline. In over 25 of experience reporting on wars, coups, uprisings and such she was never sexually assaulted, Hislum writes. However, she did have to endure beatings, escape bombs, duck gunfire- just like her male colleagues did. She further adds that she does not believe that female correspondents are at a higher risk of sexual assault than women in any walk of life.
Furthermore, she reiterates the argument that her gender was an advantage at many times during her career. This was especially true in the Middle East where she had access to more traditional women. Concurrently she never had trouble meeting with political leaders or generals. In a snarky section she writes:
Since female journalists are able to report all aspects of the story, not just what the men say or do, it is clearly an advantage to be a woman. Nonetheless, I believe men should still be allowed to report the Middle East. I understand their limitations, but I think they have a contribution to make and it would be wrong to discriminate against them. [22]
Journalist Ann Friedman also writes that this old worn-out argument has been an excuse for men and that the only way forward is to keep women included.
Concerns for women’s safety (some valid, some overblown) have long been used as an excuse to exclude us from all sorts of jobs and opportunities. It’s why we’re technically banned from military combat positions. It’s why we still aren’t allowed to ski-jump in the Olympics. It’s one reason why there are so few women reporting from war zones and areas where there is political unrest. This creates a hard rhetorical line to walk: Some jobs are indeed more dangerous for women than for men. But women still have every right to hold those jobs, too. In fact, when it comes to many dangerous professions, it’s only by women’s inclusion that conditions can begin to change. [23]
Ensuring journalists’ safety:
Judith Matloff, who teaches a course on conflict reporting at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, believes the solution is to prepare women journalists to “deal with the unmentionable[24]” rather than remove them off assignment. Matloff was one of the first journalists to bring the issue of sexual assault light in her 2007 piece entitled Unspoken[25].
Prior to that, in 2005, Matloff had stated that female war correspondents face problems in two main categories: biology and society[26]. In terms of biology she mentions the risk and fear of rape. Although she said she had never been raped she knows three colleagues who have been- one by a translator/fixer recommended by three male coworkers who never had problems with them. The other issues she brought up under biology were flak jackets (which are designed to fit men), menstruation (some female journalists take hormonal pills to avoid getting their period on assignment to avoid embarrassment) and miscarriages.
In terms of societal problems, she argues that women journalists feel like they need to take “ridiculous risks” to prove they are “tougher than the guys.”[27] This pressure continues because many men in the field don’t treat them as equals, she said. “A lot of women are doing really dumb, stupid things because they don’t want to appear to be scared.”
The other main problem is sexual harassment by coworkers which is very frequent and happens in huge amounts, she argues. This is especially true in foreign correspondence because of the frequent need to share where they sleep. Male co-workers should be held accountable for these actions, states Matloff:
Ideas get into peoples heads and I think there has to be a newsroom culture where it is completely verboten. Men should be told — it’s in my contract at Columbia, don’t harass your students; well maybe it should be in your contract when you join the BBC — don’t harass your equals. And it’s not part of the corporate culture I think in most news organisations. [28]
Ever since the Lara Logan attack, newsrooms, press freedom organization and media analysts have become more aware about the issue of sexual violence. Alongside with the special report the CPJ published after the attack, it also published an addendum focusing on sexual assault to its security guide. The addendum pulled on advice from checklists published by Judith Matloff for the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) and the International News Safety Institute (INSI) and suggestions from journalists and security experts.
“Being aware of one's environment and understanding how one may be perceived in that setting are important in deterring many forms of sexual aggression [29],” the section states. It highlights some of the ways to try and deter unwanted advances, react to danger and stay away from risk. These range from tips about appearance- such as wearing a wedding band and clothing that is hard to remove- to what to do if faced with the prospect of sexual assault, such as changing the dynamic by yelling something unexpected or urinating or soiling oneself.
The CPJ further recommends that news organizations include guidelines on the risk of sexual assault in their security manuals in order to increase attention and encourage discussion. They also urge managers and editors to react sensitively to the assaulted journalists wishes in terms of confidentiality and be mindful of the emotional impact of such an event.
Organizations can set clear policies on how to respond to sexual assaults that address the journalist's needs for medical, legal, and psychological support. Such reports should be treated as a medical urgency and as an overall security threat that affects other journalists…Some journalists told CPJ they were reluctant to report sexual abuse because they did not want to be perceived as being vulnerable while on dangerous assignments. Editorial managers should create a climate in which journalists can report assaults without fear of losing future assignments and with confidence they will receive support and assistance. [30]
News organizations also seem to be showing a commitment to further their staff’s safety when it comes to sexual violence. Various news organizations have incorporated the threat of sexual assault into their security training, according to the CPJ[31]. For example, Thomson Reuters is adjusting their training to include “more training in culture skills to help journalists navigate chaotic crowds[32]”. Security professionals who train journalists are also adjusting their curriculum to reflect changes. Previously, former military personal were behind much of the security training for journalists. But as the risk of harm from civilians increases, more civilian experts are taking prominent role in preparing journalists for what they might face in the field. [33]
Conclusion:
Women still face disadvantages in the world of journalism even though they have made steady progress throughout the years. In a 2001 study, Karen Ross summarizes the difficulties some women face on the job[34]. These include difficulties trying to manage work/home balance and rampant sexual harassment. In another study, Gertrude J. Robinson[35], discusses how there is a disparity between salaries for both genders, hardship integrating into male newsroom culture and sexism in the way women are dealt with and assigned stories.
It is clear that women still face more obstacles in the field of journalism even though they have proven themselves to be just as competent. Now that it is not unusual to see a women reporting from conflict zones, it seems the issue of sexual aggression has brought the debate of whether they belong there into the spotlight.
However, like female foreign correspondents argue, women journalists have fought hard and proved that they report just as well as men and in some instances get to the stories men cannot get. Women are more vulnerable and are target for sexual assault more than men- that is a fact. However the concept of risk and danger is not exclusive to women. Male journalists have been hurt, sexually assaulted, attacked, detained and killed as well.
Barring women journalists from foreign assignments is discrimination. It was exactly this threat that was one of the main reasons for women journalists who were sexually assaulted to not come forward with their stories. Instead of taking this approach, news organizations and the journalism community should be open to discussion, and provide support, advice and training.
Most importantly decisions should not be made for women as if they have no say. NBC’s vice president for newsgathering, David Verdi, approaches it correctly:
Is a woman more vulnerable because rape is a weapon of war? It always comes down to the same answer: It’s a voluntary assignment and we’re going to openly discuss all of the risks. We’re about mitigating risks, and we’re about complete and total transparency. In the end, we let our employees make the final decision about putting themselves into harm’s way. [36]
It seems that news organizations and press freedom organizations are moving in the right direction and trying to incorporate more awareness and mechanisms to deal with the risk of sexual assault. All journalists should be educated about how to protect themselves and where to find support when they need it.
More awareness about locale is also a necessity. For example, Logan has said that she was not aware of the levels of harassment and abuse that women in Egypt experienced[37]. A 2008 poll of 2,020 Egyptians and 109 non-Egyptian women showed that 83% of Egyptian women and 98% of foreign women surveyed stated they had suffered from sexual harassment[38]. Around 50% of them said they were harassed every day. “I would have paid more attention to it if I had had any sense of it[39],” Logan said.
Additionally, it is crucial for the discussion on this issue to continue. It is alarming that the majority of journalists who were sexually assaulted did not report the incident. This in particular applies to women who are afraid they will lose their beat or their assignment. Managers, editors and coworkers should make all efforts to keep the discussion alive and make sure all their staff is comfortable to talk about safety concerns.
In conclusion, it seems that the unfortunate and horrific event that Logan endured and her courage to come forward has taken some of the taboo away from sexual assault on journalists. Kim Barker writes about Lara Logan breaking the “code of silence[40]”:
There is an added benefit. Ms. Logan is a minor celebrity, one of the highest-profile women to acknowledge being sexually assaulted. Although she has reported from the front lines, the lesson she is now giving young women is probably her most profound: It’s not your fault. And there’s no shame in telling it like it is.
Bibliography:
Ann Friedman, “When rape is a risk that comes with the job” Feministing February 15, 2011. http://feministing.com/2011/02/15/when-rape-is-a-risk-that-comes-with-the-job/
Barker, Kim. "Why We Need Women in War Zones." New York Times 19 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/opinion/20barker.html>.
"CPJ security guide: Addendum on sexual aggression. "Committee to Protect Journalists . N.p., 07 June 2011. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://www.cpj.org/reports/2011/06/security-guide-addendum-sexual-aggression.php>.
Collins, Laura. " Reporting on war: Women in the line of fire." International News Safety Institute n.d., n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=20263&cat=americas-media-safety>.
Drogin, Bob. "Egypt's women face growing sexual harassment." Los Angeles Times 23 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/23/world/la-fg-egypt-women-abuse-20110223>.
Eltahawy, Mona. Personal Interview. 29 Nov 2011. <http://www.npr.org/2011/11/29/142895349/journalist-on-being-sexual-prey-in-egypt>
Hilsum, Lindsey. "Equality on the frontline is the only way." International News Safety Institute 19 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=20263&cat=americas-media-safety>.
"http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/28/60minutes/main20058368.shtml." 60 Minutes 28 April 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/28/60minutes/main20058368.shtml>.
"Journalists sexually assaulted covering Egypt unrest." AFP 24 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article
Kleeman, Jenny. "Why discourage women from reporting on the Tahrir Squre protests?." Guardian 25 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk
Malik, Shiv. "Detention and release of Mona Eltahawy – in tweets." Guardian 24 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/24/mona-eltahawy-twitter-tweets-egypt>.
Matloff, Judith. "Female War Reporters Under Sexual Attack Overseas? All The Time." International
News Safety Institute 17 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=19862&cat=middle-east-northern-africa-security>.
Matloff, Judith “Unspoken” Columbia Journalism Review February 8, 2011. http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/unspoken.php?page=all
Robinson, G. (2008). “Feminist Approaches to Journalism Studies.” Global Media Journal --Canadian Edition. Volume 1, Issue 1, pp. 123-136
Ross, K (2001). “Women at Work: Journalism as an en-gendered practice” Journalism Studies 2:4, 531-4
Sherwood, Harriet. "Egypt protests: plea to keep women reporters out of Cairo withdrawn." Guardian 25 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/25/egypt-protests-reporters-women-safety>.
Smyth, Frank. "In journalist security field, maturing and understanding." CPJ Blog. Committee to Protect Journalists, 07 June 2011. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://cpj.org/blog/2011/06/in-journalist-security-field-maturing-and-understa.php>.
Stelter, Brian. "CBS Reporter Recounts a ‘Merciless’ Assault." New York Times 28 April 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Shuter, Rob. "Network Execs May Pull Female Reporters From Egypt After Lara Logan Attack." PopEater 16 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.popeater.com/2011/02/16/egypt-female-reporter-attacks/>.
Wolfe, Lauren. The silencing crime: Sexual violence and journalists. Committee to Protect Journalists , 07, June, 2011. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://www.cpj.org/reports/2011/06/silencing-crime-sexual-violence-journalists.php>.
"Women Reporting War: A Transcript of the Frontline Club Discussion." Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma . Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma , 05 Feb 2005. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://dartcenter.org/content/women-reporting-war-0>.
[1] "http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/28/60minutes/main20058368.shtml." 60 Minutes 28 April 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/28/60minutes/main20058368.shtml>.
[2] ibid
[3] ibid
[4] Wolfe, Lauren. The silencing crime: Sexual violence and journalists. Committee to Protect Journalists , 07, June, 2011. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://www.cpj.org/reports/2011/06/silencing-crime-sexual-violence-journalists.php>.
[5] ibid
[6] Malik, Shiv. "Detention and release of Mona Eltahawy – in tweets." Guardian 24 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/24/mona-eltahawy-twitter-tweets-egypt>.
[7] ibid
[8] Eltahawy, Mona. Personal Interview. 29 Nov 2011. <http://www.npr.org/2011/11/29/142895349/journalist-on-being-sexual-prey-in-egypt>
[9] "Journalists sexually assaulted covering Egypt unrest." AFP 24 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article>
[10] Shuter, Rob. "Network Execs May Pull Female Reporters From Egypt After Lara Logan Attack." PopEater 16 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.popeater.com/2011/02/16/egypt-female-reporter-attacks/>.
[11] ibid
[12] ibid
[13] Sherwood, Harriet. "Egypt protests: plea to keep women reporters out of Cairo withdrawn." Guardian 25 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/25/egypt-protests-reporters-women-safety>.
[14] ibid
[15] Sherwood, Harriet. "Egypt protests: plea to keep women reporters out of Cairo withdrawn." Guardian 25 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/25/egypt-protests-reporters-women-safety>.
[16] Kleeman, Jenny. "Why discourage women from reporting on the Tahrir Squre protests?." Guardian 25 Nov 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk
[17] ibid
[18] Barker, Kim. "Why We Need Women in War Zones." New York Times 19 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/opinion/20barker.html>.
[19] Barker, Kim. "Why We Need Women in War Zones." New York Times 19 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/opinion/20barker.html>.
[20] Collins, Laura. " Reporting on war: Women in the line of fire." International News Safety Institute n.d., n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=20263&cat=americas-media-safety>.
[21] Hilsum, Lindsey. "Equality on the frontline is the only way." International News Safety Institute 19 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=20263&cat=americas-media-safety>.
[22] Hilsum, Lindsey. "Equality on the frontline is the only way." International News Safety Institute 19 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=20263&cat=americas-media-safety>.
[23] Ann Friedman, “When rape is a risk that comes with the job” Feministing February 15, 2011. http://feministing.com/2011/02/15/when-rape-is-a-risk-that-comes-with-the-job/
[24] Matloff, Judith. "Female War Reporters Under Sexual Attack Overseas? All The Time." International News Safety Institute 17 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=19862&cat=middle-east-northern-africa-security>.
[25] Matloff, Judith “Unspoken” Columbia Journalism Review February 8, 2011. http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/unspoken.php?page=all
[26] "Women Reporting War: A Transcript of the Frontline Club Discussion." Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma . Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma , 05 Feb 2005. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://dartcenter.org/content/women-reporting-war-0>.
[27] "Women Reporting War A Transcript of the Frontline Club Discussion." Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma . Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma , 05 Feb 2005. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://dartcenter.org/content/women-reporting-war-0>.
[28] ibid
[29] "CPJ security guide: Addendum on sexual aggression. "Committee to Protect Journalists . N.p., 07 June 2011. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://www.cpj.org/reports/2011/06/security-guide-addendum-sexual-aggression.php>.
[30] ibid
[31] Wolfe, Lauren. The silencing crime: Sexual violence and journalists. Committee to Protect Journalists , 07, June, 2011. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://www.cpj.org/reports/2011/06/silencing-crime-sexual-violence-journalists.php>.
[32] Smyth, Frank. "In journalist security field, maturing and understanding." CPJ Blog. Committee to Protect Journalists, 07 June 2011. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://cpj.org/blog/2011/06/in-journalist-security-field-maturing-and-understa.php>.
[33] ibid
[34] Ross, K (2001). “Women at Work: Journalism as an en-gendered practice” Journalism Studies 2:4, 531-4
[35] Robinson, G. (2008). “Feminist Approaches to Journalism Studies.” Global Media Journal --Canadian Edition. Volume 1, Issue 1, pp. 123-136
[36] Wolfe, Lauren. The silencing crime: Sexual violence and journalists. Committee to Protect Journalists , 07, June, 2011. Web. 7 Dec 2011. <http://www.cpj.org/reports/2011/06/silencing-crime-sexual-violence-journalists.php>.
[37] Stelter, Brian. "CBS Reporter Recounts a ‘Merciless’ Assault." New York Times 28 April 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
[38] Drogin, Bob. "Egypt's women face growing sexual harassment." Los Angeles Times 23 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/23/world/la-fg-egypt-women-abuse-20110223>.
[39] Stelter, Brian. "CBS Reporter Recounts a ‘Merciless’ Assault." New York Times 28 April 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
[40] Barker, Kim. "Why We Need Women in War Zones." New York Times 19 Feb 2011, n. pag. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/opinion/20barker.html>.