BIRN’s investigation ‘Code of Silence: Fear, Stigma Surrounding Abuse of Greek Women Journalists’ has helped open up a long-needed debate on the abuse and harassment of female journalists in the Greek media.
A BIRN investigation recently disclosed that female journalists are often afraid to report such abuse and harassment and ignore the procedures.
At the same time, most media in Greece do not even have the means to handle such cases.
BIRN’s research covered incidents over almost 30 years, from 1993 to 2021, documented through interviews with current and former media industry workers.
“I would have expected, from 2015 until today, more complaints and even named ones in the media. We journalists ask everyone to come forward, speak, and expose themselves, but we hesitate to do the same,” Lina Giannarou, editor at the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, told BIRN.
“One reason is the fear of being out of work. Those who have to tell such stories are now at an age when it would be difficult to recover professionally,” she said.
#metoo reaches Greece, but not journalism
In 2015 the model Ambra Gutierrez accused American film producer Harvey Weinstein of inappropriate behaviour. Her complaint was downplayed and buried by the media and the authorities.
It took two years and the investigations of journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and their editor, Rebecca Corbett, at the New York Times for the scale of Weinstein’s abuse to become public.
The journalists revealed cases of sexual abuse by Weinstein stretching over nearly three decades. Their investigation became a book in 2019 and then a movie, “She said.” Weinstein is now in jail.
In 2017, Giannarou wrote about sexual harassment in the Greek media workplace. For the first time in the Greek media, a female journalist anonymously shared her experience of abuse.
After a lot of pressure because she did not give in to the perpetrator’s threats, the victim she wrote about was forced to change jobs. The abuser, Giannarou says, found himself apologizing to the Journalists’ Union for sexual harassment following a complaint by another colleague.
Four women journalists openly shared their stories of abuse with the Greek media outlet Proto Thema but without naming the perpetrators.
It took almost four years, a pandemic, and the public confession of Olympic gold medalist Sofia Bekatorou, to journalist Evita Tsilochristou in the online edition of the women’s magazine Marie Claire about her own experience of sexual abuse, to activate the #metoo movement in Greece.
It was only then that people from the field of sports and culture shared their experiences publicly; some even decided to take legal action. In 2022, Greece saw its first four #metoo trials, but none concerned journalism.
But male journalists invited their female colleagues to speak out, some even naming the perpetrators on social networks. Some women shared stories of harassment and abuse on their social media accounts.
In a television interview, the well-known journalist Elli Stai referred to her own incident of harassment years ago.
However, none of these confessions triggered any journalistic or other investigation by the police or judicial authorities.
Evita Tsilochristou, digital director at Marie Claire, points out that supporting the victims in every way is critical for those who have not yet dared to speak out.
“Usually, victims speak up when they feel protected for some reason, when their careers are over, and they are not in danger, or when they are not directly threatened, as was the case during the pandemic,” she adds.
BIRN’s investigation into abuse and harassment
BIRN conducted a report in the beginning of 2022 about the complex picture of women’s role in newsrooms, news-making, and regional societies, more broadly in the Western Balkans.
Due to the lack of a media watchdog in Greece, BIRN investigated the harassment of Greek female journalists in their workplaces. The investigation was republished in Greek by the EFSYN newspaper and presented by several Greek media, such as Lifo, In.gr, ERT3, Proto Thema, Marie Claire, TVXS, Ladylike.gr, etc.
BIRN revealed that 43 per cent of the respondents said they had been victims of incidents of a sexual nature; 35 per cent of these cited verbal harassment, 81 per cent had faced harassment and abuse within the workplace; 51 per cent of the abusers were their hierarchical superiors.
Some 53.8 per cent of victims said they did not report the incidents due to fear that they would not receive any support. Two-thirds of the respondents claimed their media do not have procedures for employees to complain. Female journalists spoke to BIRN under the condition of anonymity.
“Belatedly, they have started speaking out in the media sector as well, but it will be a long time to see named complaints about abusers who are still active [working], as it is a very closed profession … An important chapter is also the attitude of men toward the victims, especially those in authority. Women need to feel comfortable, speak up and find support from them and when they see solidarity, they may start speaking up in the media space, which men mostly lead. Silence enables violence. Let’s leave the ‘why now?’ and get to the ‘never again’,” Tsilochristou said.
Media sector must recognise the problem
After 23 years, Maria found the strength to speak out about her abuse.
“Because I have found the strength, I want to speak. When a woman confesses her harassment, it is good to keep quiet and listen to her. Even though there were complaints of abuse and harassment worldwide, journalism, for some reason that I cannot understand, has been left out,” she told BIRN.
As the mother of a little girl, she couldn’t imagine her daughter coming to her in a few years’ time and telling her she was facing harassment.
She wants her story to become the media sector’s problem, not hers only. For her, what is essential is the creation of a protective framework in which victims will feel safe to speak.
“If there were a framework, there would have been more complaints. I can’t understand why there shouldn’t be a framework where women and men can go and talk, where they will listen to you, trust you and find a solution. Let’s look at the problem first and then find solutions,” Maria said.
“My need now is not to name the abusers but for the problem to become the media’s problem,” she added.
“The Greek media is not homogenous, so it depends on where a #metoo ‘hits’. The media do not air their dirty laundry in public, so the shocks of any crises are absorbed. With its slow, outdated procedures, our union also does not favour complaints,” Giannarou told BIRN.
BIRN found also that Greek journalists’ unions lack procedures to report and record harassment.
Giannarou argues that the #metoo movement will help to protect the younger generation speak out.
“The younger ones, luckily, have a completely different experience, thanks to #metoo,” she said.
“Not only have men changed in recent years, but women have as well. Young girls are more equipped to deal with such situations, from a sexist comment in the newsroom to potential sexual harassment.”