By Innocent Kiiza
Dorcus Masika once dreamed of becoming a sports analyst, fueled by her love for sports and a desire to break into a field where few women venture. But her journey took a painful turn when those she looked up to for mentorship instead became barriers, subjecting her to harassment.
Rather than receiving guidance and support, Masika faced inappropriate advances from her bosses, who pressured her for sexual favors in exchange for career progression. Determined to preserve her integrity, Masika consistently turned down these advances. But her refusals came at a price: her workplace grew increasingly hostile, and career opportunities began to disappear. Cornered and disillusioned in a profession she once loved, Masika had no choice but to step away.
Now, as she contemplates opening a small salon to make ends meet, she reflects on how her dreams were shattered. “They told me that if I didn’t impress my boss sexually, I’d lose my job. I didn’t believe it until my sports program on the radio was suddenly canceled without any notice,” she recalls, her voice tinged with sadness.
Like many other female journalists, Masika didn’t report the harassment. Instead, she confided in fellow female journalists who had gone through similar experiences. They advised her to protect herself, even if that meant abandoning her dream.
Sexual harassment is a widespread but often hidden issue that discourages many women journalists from taking frontline roles. The Uganda Press Freedom Report has sparked crucial conversations about safety, press freedom, and gender equity within the media. According to the report, 10.9% of female journalists faced abuse in 2020, underscoring the risks female reporters confront.
Additionally, a recent survey by the ICFJ and UNESCO found that 73% of female journalists experience both online and offline violence, emphasizing the urgent need for measures to ensure journalists’ safety. As a result, many women choose background roles, where they believe the risks of harassment are less than in fieldwork.
Josephine Nyamicu, a journalist based in the Rwenzori region, confirms that harassment from media managers, editors, and colleagues is all too common. “I’ve missed out on career opportunities, like training, because I refused to ‘play along,'” she says.
She recalls one particularly distressing incident: “A source invited me to his office, claiming he had a story to share. But when I arrived, it quickly turned into a sexual proposition, and I was threatened. He warned me that if I spoke up about it, I would lose my job.”
Evelyn Kabugho, a journalist at a local media house in southwestern Uganda, shares similar experiences. She reveals that she has been harassed by various sources, including a district official who threatened to ruin her career if she continued collaborating with certain individuals. “It’s not just the sources,” Kabugho explains. “Even male colleagues harass female journalists, pushing many to leave the profession.”
Fear on the Frontline: How Harassment Pushes Women Out of Field Reporting.
Fear has driven many female journalists away from covering frontline news. Harassment has made them hesitant to take on assignments that may expose them to further risks.
For instance, at the September 27 World Tourism Day celebrations in Kasese this year, only two out of ten journalists covering the event were women. Similarly, at the recent 58th coronation of Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere, the King of the Rwenzururu Kingdom, only one female journalist, from Salt TV, was among the 15 reporters present for the historic occasion.
When asked if they reported their experiences, both Kabugho and Nyamicu admitted they did not. “We are afraid of losing our jobs,” Nyamicu explains. “The harassers are often bosses or senior officials who hold the power to influence station management.” Kabugho echoed this concern, sharing similarly disheartening experiences.
When she attempted to report the harassment, her boss responded dismissively, “Who sent you there?” Feeling humiliated, she chose to let the matter go.
“It takes a toll on us, both mentally and physically,” she explains, adding that female journalists frequently share their experiences as a way to protect one another. “We try to avoid working alone in the field to reduce the risks.”
Institutional Support for Female Journalists
In Kasese, journalists have found some support through the local organization, the Umbrella for Journalists (UJK), along with other civic organizations, where they share experiences and brainstorm protective strategies.
Owen Alton Baluku, an editor at Light FM, recognizes the unfortunate reality of harassment faced by female journalists, not only from their supervisors but also from sources they rely on for stories. However, he notes that no cases of sexual harassment have been reported at Light FM so far.
Baluku attributes this partly to the small number of female journalists at the station and to protective measures grounded in values from the SDA Church, which promote a safe and respectful environment.
While supervisor harassment is often emphasized, Baluku points out that it doesn’t stop there. “In many cases, sources become the perpetrators, taking advantage of female journalists during field assignments,” he says. Additionally, he explains that during political seasons, journalists sometimes face harassment when stories are perceived as unfavorable.
Baluku recalls a tense situation where a female reporter at Light FM was harassed by local politicians. He managed to de-escalate the conflict, ultimately restoring harmony and protecting the reporter from further intimidation. To support their team, Light FM enforces policies inspired by SDA beliefs, emphasizing professionalism and respect that extends beyond the workplace.
To reduce risk, Light FM discourages its journalists from attending high-risk settings, such as bars and concerts, even though these events may sometimes yield newsworthy stories. Additionally, the editorial team provides training on respectful communication with sources, encouraging staff to maintain professionalism in all interactions.
Baluku recounts an incident where a female reporter faced issues with a source’s wife, who grew suspicious of the reporter’s frequent work-related calls to her husband. Although the matter was not formally reported, it led management to reinforce guidelines on handling communication with sources, ensuring reporters are respectful and exercise caution.
Looking ahead, Baluku believes structural changes are essential to improve journalist safety across the media industry. He recommends hiring more female journalists to build a stronger collective voice against harassment, raising salaries to support journalists financially, and implementing a standard dress code to promote professionalism and mitigate risks.
Baluku stresses the need for effective implementation of government policies against sexual harassment and calls on media houses to adopt these policies locally to better protect female journalists.
In Kasese District, however, newsroom leadership remains heavily male-dominated, particularly in editorial roles. The four major radio stations—Light FM, South Rwenzori Messiah Radio, Kasese Guide FM, and UBC Ngeya FM along with Rwenzori Daily an online News Agency, all have editorial desks managed and deputized exclusively by men.
Despite this male-led editorial structure, there is some progress in management positions. Among the main radio stations, two of them including Kasese Guide Radio and UBC Ngeya FM—are managed by women, while Messiah FM and Light FM are led by men. This indicates a step toward gender balance in management, though the editorial influence is still largely controlled by men.
The current gender dynamics in Kasese’s media landscape underscore both the persistent challenges and the gradual progress in achieving gender equity. As more women reach management roles, there is a growing potential to diversify editorial perspectives and reshape newsroom culture across the district.
Navigating Online and Workplace Harassment: Carol Beyanga’s Call for Change.
Carol Beyanga, a former senior journalist at Nation Media Group, shared her experience of online harassment, a challenge many female journalists face. While she hasn’t encountered sexual harassment from bosses or sources, the digital attacks she faced led to a temporary retreat from social media. “I did not report the incidents,” she explains, “because I did not think I would get help.” This reflects the difficulty many women in Uganda experience when trying to report harassment, due to the lack of sufficient support structures.
Beyanga acknowledges the personal toll harassment takes, affecting both mental health and career trajectories. To cope, she relies on close friends, her husband, and prayer for emotional support. Professionally, she stresses the importance of mentorship, noting, “I have mentors I can confide in and who offer valuable advice.” Beyanga credits her former workplace, Nation Media Group Uganda, for offering sexual harassment training, which helped employees understand their rights and the proper reporting channels.
According to Beyanga, having clear policies in place is crucial for combating harassment. “Policies work if staff know what they are and how they operate,” she asserts. She believes that regular education on harassment policies, along with counseling services and appropriate disciplinary actions, can encourage victims to report incidents and create a precedent for addressing harassment within the workplace.
Beyanga points to several root causes of harassment in the media industry, including male-dominated newsrooms, a lack of clear policies, and a patriarchal society. She also highlights the anonymity and accessibility of online platforms, which embolden individuals to harass women without consequence. Beyanga advocates for collective action to drive change, urging policy shifts and cultural adjustments.
She stresses the importance of male allies who can help set positive examples by supporting female colleagues and discouraging harassment in the workplace. “Male allies can be exemplary,” she concludes, “by teaching fellow males not to harass women.”
Civic Society’s Efforts in Addressing Harassment
Saimon Bikeke, director of Umbrella for Journalists (UJK) in Kasese, highlights the challenges of tracking harassment cases due to the silence surrounding the issue. Despite creating a safe space for women to report incidents, UJK rarely receives formal complaints.
Female journalists often discuss their experiences informally during workshops, but filing official reports remains difficult. Bikeke recalls the “Protect and Promote Press Freedom” (PPPF) project in 2022/23, which allowed women to voice their concerns in a safe environment, but once the workshops ended, many returned to their struggles in silence.
While UJK provides support through peer counseling, limited resources hinder their ability to offer legal aid or formal services. Bikeke hopes to partner with other organizations to address harassment more effectively and create a more structured approach to supporting female journalists.
Challenges in Reporting Harassment
Many female journalists hesitate to report harassment due to a lack of understanding of their rights and the legal protections available to them. Some, like Nyamicu, feel that reporting is pointless since media houses rarely take effective action, even when policies exist.
A 2021 study by WAN-IFRA Women in News and City, University of London, found that while nearly half of women in African newsrooms have experienced sexual harassment, only 30% of cases are reported to management. This reflects a deep distrust in the system and a reluctance to speak out.
Instead of formal reports, female journalists often share their experiences informally with colleagues, brainstorming ways to protect themselves. Kabugho notes that this silence is partly due to fear of retaliation or a lack of confidence in the reporting process, which prevents lasting change. Without a supportive framework or a commitment to enforcing policies, harassment remains an ongoing issue.
In Uganda’s media industry, sexual harassment is deeply ingrained and often overlooked, according to Lucy Anyango Ekadu, president of the Uganda Journalists Union. Ekadu explains that many journalists fail to recognize harassment due to its normalization within newsroom culture. She highlights how some incidents, like inappropriate physical gestures, are dismissed by staff, revealing a lack of awareness about what constitutes harassment. Furthermore, Ekadu points out the systemic shortcomings in addressing harassment, including male-dominated disciplinary committees that often downplay incidents and discourage victims from pursuing justice, allowing the problem to persist.
The economic challenges facing journalists in Uganda also exacerbate the issue, with many media workers forced to choose between keeping their jobs and enduring exploitation. In privately-owned media houses, the absence of formal contracts and reliance on media owners’ personal preferences create an environment where journalists feel pressured to tolerate mistreatment. This power imbalance discourages them from reporting harassment for fear of job loss, as they are often not protected by labor laws or contracts.
Charity Kalebo, chairperson of the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA), is actively working to address these challenges by empowering female journalists to recognize, resist, and report harassment. Kalebo emphasizes the importance of securing journalistic freedom, which includes not only press freedom but also a safe and respectful work environment. Through training sessions and advocacy, Kalebo seeks to equip journalists with the tools to challenge harassment and ensure their right to a dignified career, fostering a safer and more equitable media landscape.
Betty Amongi, Uganda’s Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, echoes the need for change, urging women to break their silence and report harassment. Amongi stresses that the government will protect women who come forward, and she believes that only when victims speak out will the culture of harassment begin to shift. Both Kalebo and Amongi advocate for a safer, more inclusive media environment, where the rights of female journalists are upheld and their voices are heard.
Amongi’s message serves as a reminder that for systemic change to take root, women must feel empowered to lead the way.
Her call to action represents a commitment to long-term change, one where women’s voices are heard, respected, and protected. As Kabugho concludes, It is one thing to experience harassment, but to be dismissed when you seek help? That was the final blow!
