Gendered Online Harassment of Female Journalists in Digital Spaces in Pakistan

This study examines the gendered online harassment faced by female journalists in Pakistan's digital media landscape. The objective of this study was to identify the forms of online harassment and abuse that female journalists face daily, their emotional and professional impact, and to assess the effectiveness of existing legal mechanisms and their responses. A qualitative research methodology was used; data were collected through purposive sampling by conducting ten semi-structured interviews with female journalists across the provinces of Pakistan. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis to find recurring patterns and to explore shared experiences. The findings of this study show that gendered online harassment is widespread across digital platforms and beats. Participants shared their experiences of having sexualized comments, rape threats, body shaming, doxing, and political trolling as common ones, and honor-based harassment. This harassment also had a serious effect on their mental health and professional lives, including anxiety, insomnia, fear of visibility, self-censorship, reduction of social media use, and, in some cases, complete withdrawal from journalism. Journalists from minority identities and backward regions faced more severe harassment because of cultural and honor-based norms. The conclusion states that gendered online harassment is a structural problem, which reflects patriarchal authority and male-dominated fields. Weak newsroom policies and responses, their ineffectiveness, and the operational inadequacy of the PECA Act further increase women's vulnerability. Strong legal enforcement, institutional accountability, and digital safety measures, especially digital safety training should be made compulsory to ensure a free press and the protection of female journalists.