PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA – November 25, 2024: The All Women’s Action Society (AWAM) with support from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Commision (EC) is proud to announce the launch of #MediaToo: Untold Stories of Gender-Based Violence in the Media. For this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign, AWAM is choosing to highlight the prevalence of gender-based violence in the media industry and to collaborate with media practitioners to challenge and transform harmful narratives surrounding gender in their reporting.
Journalists, especially women, encounter disproportionate harassment, discrimination, and exploitation in the workplace. An analysis of the Malaysian segment of 2023 research findings published by the WAN-IFRA Women in News (1) found that 15% of women media practitioners have experienced harassment 2 to 4 times while 59% of respondents stated they have never experienced harassment. This disparity may derive from a culture that normalises gender-based violence. Through #MediaToo, AWAM aims to challenge this systemic silencing and promote safer, more accountable environments for women in the media.
Media institutions play a crucial role in shaping public perception. Though the media has come a long way in its representation of girls and women, as well as in pushing forth stories of gender-based violence (GBV), sensational headlines, visuals, and narratives that perpetuate harmful biases and stereotypes persist; girls’ and women’s voices often get overlooked. As AWAM has observed through our media monitoring efforts, this approach continues to create a culture of victim-blaming that mischaracterises the root causes of GBV. AWAM urges media houses to move beyond sensationalism and misinformation, recognising the urgency and relevance of GBV as a matter of public interest.
President of AWAM, Ho Yock Lin acknowledges that “Gender-based violence is not just a women’s issue, it is a structural issue that affects all of us. Through #MediaToo, we seek to create a culture where media workers are not only reporting on these issues but actively participating in dismantling them. This campaign is about standing in solidarity with all who fight for justice, both within the media and beyond.” AWAM is hopeful for a new media landscape that makes a conscious effort toward reducing gender-based violence in society.
AWAM invites all journalists, editors, and media practitioners to take part in our National Survey of Gender-Based Violence within the Malaysian Media Landscape, which will be developed into a practical resource kit designed to elevate the standards of gender-sensitive journalism in Malaysia.
For further information on the #MediaToo campaign, to participate in the survey, or to access resources, please contact AWAM at awam@awam.org.my, visit our website at www.awam.org.my or follow us on our social media @awammalaysia.
More about #MediaToo: Untold Stories of Gender-Based Violence:
Over the next 16 days, AWAM is launching a crucial campaign to spotlight gender-based violence in the media and against media practitioners. Through interviews, impactful stories, and educational content, we aim to confront this pressing issue and emphasise the critical need for gender-sensitive reporting. Our mission is: to collaborate and partner with journalists to challenge patriarchal and capitalist narratives that perpetuate harmful portrayals of women AND to encourage the public to reflect critically when consuming the news.
#MediaToo Campaign highlights:
1. Publication of stories from media practitioners;
2. Release of a nationwide survey to gather data for future change;
3. Release of gender-sensitive reporting toolkit by AWAM as a reference for media practitioners.
#MediaToo does not end when the 16 days are up. AWAM looks forward to the survey responses from media practitioners that will enable us to create effective gender-sensitive reporting tool kits, and to a long-term collaboration with the media to advance gender equality in the media.
Let’s work together to eradicate all forms of gender-based violence!
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(1) https://sexualharassment.womeninnews.org/research/data-breakdown/