>>BY GLADYS MARURA>>
Journalists should report any cases of sexual harassment in newsrooms.
Speaking during a workshop that brought together both female and male journalists, Association Of Women In Media(AMWIK)Executive Director Patience Nyange asked journalists who have suffered any form of sexual harassment in the newsrooms to report and not remain silent.
“When you are oppressed and you remain silent, then you perpetuate injustice, so we ask everyone to come out and cooperate with us in various groups that exist. Our doors are open to everyone, come talk to us, and will try to help as much as we can,” Nyange said.
According to the AMWIK Executive Director, they have put in place various strategies to ensure that such abuses are reduced in the newsrooms.
“We are now talking to everyone both male and female journalists so as to be able to understand them,” she said.
She added that if all media organizations across the country will implement a policy to control issues of sexual harassment, the number of such cases will significantly reduce.
“Lack of policies in our workplaces has contributed a lot to such abuses that’s why we are collaborating with various news stations so that they can set the policies that will guide media houses in managing such cases,” said Nyange.
According to research by WAN-IFRA Women in News cases of sexual harassment in the field of journalism have been increasing every year as victims fail to report the cases due to the fear of losing their jobs and stigmatization.
“The WAN-IFRA research shows that one out of every two women working in newsrooms have been sexually harassed,” said Nyange.
