Earlier it was verbal abuse. Only the people around—relatives, neighbours or acquaintances—would manage to give women 'cold vibes mixed with warning' for 'crossing limits' or standing for change, equality or inclusion at 'the cost of social fabric'. Now it's easy for abusers, thanks to digital empowerment. And because it's digital, where the two parties need not come face-to-face, the abusers are even vulgar and ruthless. Digital violence against women is on the rise; female journalists are not spared, either. For covering stories against patriarchy, religious dogmas and inequality, dozens of women journalists across Nepal have received threats from people.
Says Neetu Pandit, president of Sancharika Samuha, an umbrella organisation of women journalists in Nepal: “There have been a few serious cases while other cases are of milder abuses. We don't have accurate data on the scale of digital violence on women journalists. However, on the basis of the stories shared by women we can say that the situation is worrisome.”
According to the Federation of Nepali Journalists, 16 per cent of (1,613 women out of 10,095 journalists) are women. Of those, 48 per cent work in radio and FM stations, 41 per cent in print media, 10 per cent in television and 2 per cent in online platforms. Almost 47 per cent of female journalists say they report on ‘soft social issues’.
According to Pandit, character assassination, which is generally used against women to silence them, is used against women journalists as well. Members of Sancharika Samuha say their Facebook and Twitter inboxes fill with ugly messages soon after they put forth 'different views' or speak up for change.
"I was forced to open a fake ID on social media simply because of abuses. Handling such abuses becomes challenging when the platform is visible to your close ones—parents or other family members. The abuses then affect not just you," says Shilpa Karna, a newspaper journalist. "Because I am from Madhesh, the causes and the nature of attack also happen to be a little different. For instance, if I take the side of 'Pahade' (hill people) in some genuine issue that appeals to me, I am much more targeted," she says.
Handling two IDs on Facebook and Twitter is like living two separate lives for Karna. She appears quiet and meek in one, and just the opposite in the other. Had she been a male journalist, the uproar expressed on social media would be less troublesome, she says.
"As a journalist, I have to appear fair and decent to some degree. But simply because I am a female, breaching that image turns out to be costlier; people jump to naming and shaming when I disagree with their views. So fake ID is a safe haven," she elaborates.
As per Sancharika Samuha, the women journalists are easily body shamed. Some journalists have faced allegations that they are linked with influential persons and that they have taken special favours. Their critics talk less about their professional strength or weakness, than about their family, husband or character.
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"I have experienced this. It undermines our hard work, passion, capacity. If we succeed at something, the credit is given to our outer beauty and our links, and not to our talent or essence. It's very funny, but it's true," says Reeta Pariyar, a media person and activist. "I don't know when people will begin to treat a female as an individual who can handle life independently. Be it journalists or other professionals, society expects them to behave in a certain way. The liberty given to them is narrower.”
Pariyar has been abused several times digitally when she raised her voice for justice for the dalits, women, differently-abled and other marginalised communities. People warn that she should keep 'social harmony' in her mind before posting 'provocative messages'.
"I don't reply to mild concerns. But when it's ugly, I block such users. If there is a need, women should not hesitate to file a complaint at the cyber cell in the police," she says.
Women journalists have sought help from the federation of women journalists in handling cases of digital violence. Pandit was involved in dealing with two such cases two years ago. But she believes that such attacks are too rampant to be handled just by the federation or any such organisation. It is the high time digital discipline was inculcated among people through some policy, she says.
"Or else, a lot of damage could be done to journalists and others alike. And because people are more prone to attacking women, fewer women want to use social sites, claiming little digital space for themselves."
Anjali Subedi is a journalist at myRepublica, Nepal
