Muted echoes: confronting the global crisis of violence against women and girls, including women journalists

Violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive human-rights violations worldwide. Within this crisis, women journalists face a dual burden—gender-based violence and targeted attacks intended to silence their voices and restrict press freedom. This paper examines that intersection, drawing on case studies from Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Mozambique, the Philippines, the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Latin America, and the United States of America, as well as the widely publicized experience of Nobel laureate Maria Ressa. It situates these narratives within global data on gender-based violence, freedom of expression, and trauma theory, and explores the use of psychodrama, sociodrama, and applied theater to address trauma and foster resilience. Violence against women journalists is shown to be systemic—a strategy to suppress truth and perpetuate patriarchal control. Embodied theater methods offer critical avenues for healing and resistance, turning muted echoes of violence into resounding calls for justice.