Sexual harassment remains deeply entrenched in media workplaces across the world, with nearly one in three media professionals reporting they have experienced some form of harassment, according to a major new international study released by WAN-IFRA Women in News, City St George’s, University of London, and BBC Media Action.
The 2025 study, which surveyed more than 2,800 media employees across 21 countries, paints a grim picture of persistent abuse, widespread underreporting, and weak institutional responses within newsroom environments.
Researchers found that 29% of media workers surveyed had experienced sexual harassment, with the highest prevalence recorded in Africa at 33% and the Arab region at 31%. Southeast Asia recorded 19%, while Ukraine, included in the study for the first time, registered 12%.
The survey covered a broad spectrum of newsroom and media-related roles, including journalists, editors, production teams, human resource officers, administrators, marketers, and senior managers, making it one of the largest studies ever conducted on sexual harassment in the media industry.
Despite the scale of the problem, the report found that 69% of victims never reported their experiences, citing fear of retaliation, lack of trust in reporting systems, and low confidence in organisational responses.
Even in cases where complaints were formally raised, organisations acted in only 65% of incidents, with most responses described as limited or informal.
The study further revealed glaring gender disparities, with women found to be 2.4 times more likely than men to experience verbal sexual harassment and 1.8 times more likely to face online sexual harassment.
Although cases of physical harassment and rape were reported at lower levels, researchers warned that the threats remain widespread and deeply concerning. A quarter of respondents said they had experienced physical harassment, while 5% of women and 4% of men identified themselves as rape survivors.
Dr Lindsey Blumell said sexual harassment continues to have devastating consequences on both victims and newsroom environments.
“Experiencing harassment decreases job satisfaction, increases the likelihood of leaving the industry, and causes serious mental and physical harm,” Blumell said.
She added that the high levels of underreporting reflect a lack of trust in newsroom systems and point to what she described as a broader “acceptance of violence in newsrooms.”
The report also noted that lower reporting rates among men suggest sexual harassment is still largely viewed as a women’s issue, despite its wider implications on newsroom culture, safety, power dynamics, and journalistic integrity.
Countries newly included in the expanded research include Ukraine, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan.
Media development experts behind the study say the findings highlight an urgent need for stronger workplace policies, survivor support systems, accountability mechanisms, and sustained awareness campaigns within media institutions.
Valeria Perasso warned that unsafe workplace cultures undermine newsroom leadership and editorial independence.
“Unsafe and unequal workplace cultures create structural barriers that limit who can participate, lead, and shape editorial decisions,” Perasso said, adding that journalism ultimately suffers when harassment is tolerated.
Meanwhile, Susan Makore said the continued silence around harassment cases points to a deeper crisis within newsroom culture.
“Sexual harassment in media is not an isolated workplace issue. It is a structural barrier that shapes who feels safe to participate, stay, and lead within journalism,” Makore said.
She urged media organisations to move beyond policies and invest in long-term training, sensitisation, and stronger reporting mechanisms aimed at transforming workplace culture and protecting journalists.
