Despite provisions made by the law to protect journalists against cyberbullying, most female reporters choose to let it slide, carrying the weight of the psychosocial consequences that come with such a menace. This, in turn, creates space for more abuses to thrive, unchecked.
Swaying between self-doubt to self-blame, Hadiza Musa Yusuf, a freelance journalist, would always question herself. “Am I the problem? Why me?” Obscene, pornographic content would frequently flood her inbox unprovoked. Her five-year career as a freelance reporter had prompted her consistent presence on social media to engage audiences with her reportage.
However, she is compelled to fight silent battles of cyberbullying that daily make her question her worth and self-esteem.
“I could not help with my presence online. I don’t engage in explicit content. Most of my posts on social media are work-related. So when perverts invade my inbox with such images, it enrages me and makes me doubt myself,” she continued.
Hadiza’s case is not different from many female journalists in northern Nigeria, as they recount numerous unpleasant experiences of cyberbullying in their course of careers. However, it has not helped to put such experiences on the back burner, stifling them as they add to the psychological stress that comes with it. Therefore, this accentuates the need for newsrooms to acknowledge such occurrences by establishing coping mechanisms, including helpful reforms to address the problem.
A 2020 study by UNESCO and the International Centre for Journalists found that 73% of 714 female journalists globally had experienced online harassment. About 30% censored themselves, 25% reported the abuse, and 20% withdrew from online spaces entirely. Alarmingly, 20% faced real-world attacks as a result of online threats.
What The Law Says About Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying became a criminal offence in Nigeria in 2015 under Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act. The law was signed on May 15, 2015, during the administration of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Cyberbullying includes sending messages via computer that are pornographic or sending a message that the sender knows is false, if the intent is to cause a breakdown of law and order or to pose a threat to life.
The law criminalises online harassment, threats, and offensive messages, with penalties of up to 3 years in prison or ₦7 million fine. It specifically states that “Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of a computer system or network.
Mariya Suleiman, a Kano-based print journalist, has become accustomed to getting harsh comments after publishing some of her stories. She has only learned to ignore them, sometimes, muting her social media pages while she endures the emotional turmoil within.
“Recently, I did a story around rising cases of rape in Kano, and the reactions I got were outrageous. People comment more out of sentiment than anything else. When the truth hits, they feel coming at you is the right thing to do,” she said.
Many female journalists bear the brunt of cyberbullying as frequently as they publish stories. But what remains the problem is how the victims choose to kick the can down the road.
Like others, Khadija Abdullahi admitted that in her 15-year career as a broadcast journalist, she had never registered any of her cases with her organisation, largely due to a lack of awareness and the absence of measures to address cyberbullying in the newsroom.
She spoke of the negative impact it had on her, from the seductive comments that caught her off guard on air to the demeaning comments that crushed her self-esteem.
“I was once hosting a live programme online when someone commented in a demeaning way that I was ‘small’. That comment killed my morale. I opted to drop the programme because I felt my self-esteem was crushed too. It took me a long while to get over it,” she recounted.
As in the case of Victoria Ogechukwu, a Bauchi-based journalist, she recounts how she once got attacked for expressing her opinion about a journalistic report online. Lack of public awareness on responsible online engagement triggers cyberbullying sometimes, she said.
“I recently commented under a LinkedIn post about a report on Plateau state killings. My argument and questions were directed at the writer, but someone else came under the post, misunderstood what I said and threatened that I would ‘pay’ for what I said,” she recalled.
Ogechukwu added that, aside from orienting journalists, the public should also be consistently engaged on the implications of cyberbullying and the need for responsible online engagement.
Similarly, Victoria Oniaye, a broadcast journalist, also notes that newsrooms should adopt structured support, including legal backing and emotional support for reporters.
“Organisations should implement clear cyberbullying measures, offer emotional and legal support to staff and raise public awareness on responsible online engagement. Criticism should not turn into a personal attack,” she said.
Barrister Maryam Manga, a Bauchi-based Lawyer and women’s rights advocate, recommended that for female journalists to tackle cyberbullying, they need to be fully aware of what the law says about it.
“They (journalists) have a duty to protect themselves in the newsrooms; therefore, they need to be aware of the law. Sometimes, what incites cyberbullying is provocative or sensational headlines. Reporters should cross-check information before publishing,” she said.
Manga said the court is there to protect the rights of journalists being violated, adding that they should also advocate for policy reforms within their organisations.
“With the surge of cyberbullying cases these days, newsrooms need to adopt policies to protect their reporters, especially women. Women are emotional beings, and these things take a huge toll on them. Newsrooms need to create an editorial committee for verification of news before publication and also law enforcement protocols to protect reporters against cyberbullying,” she said.
Reporters Push for Counselling Support in Newsrooms
As part of coping mechanisms to address cyberbullying, female journalists and experts have called on newsrooms to establish a guidance and counselling unit so as to address the psycho-social consequence that comes with it.
Miss Abdullahi suggests that women reporters also need to have a community and talk about these things through. “I wonder how women overcome such experiences. I think we should have a safe space for women to talk about these things and see how we can seek help. Newsrooms also need to establish guidance and counselling units. There is little awareness on this issue in the North.” she said.
Similarly, Miss Oniaye and Miss Suleiman noted that the emotional support would encourage reporters to speak out rather than brush it aside.
“If there were counselling units in newsrooms, we wouldn’t have to carry the burden with us. It’s not that we don’t talk about it. But we only mention it in conversations. More needs to be done,” Miss Suleiman said.
Dr Ruqayya Yusuf Aliyu, media scholar at Bayero University, Kano, recommends that for cyberbullying to be tackled, female journalists should be guided on digital literacy, foremost. According to her, journalists should always be ready to adapt to technological innovations and be conscious of their engagements online.
She noted that women journalists need a workable, safe environment to practice journalism; therefore, it is the responsibility of the newsroom to implement gender policies to protect them.
Dr Yusuf recalls that Nigeria is a signatory to the Kigali declaration and should adopt and ensure full and proper implementation of the African gender policy for media practice.
“The policies can promote safer newsrooms because just by being conscious of workable policies in place, it will boost their confidence and they will have a sense of security of persons and dignity as female journalists. That will ultimately impact productivity,” she said.
The Nigeria Association for Women Journalists NAWOJ Representative, Gombe state chapter, Safiyya Auwal Abba, also advised that offering emotional support to journalists is significant, as well as promoting public awareness on safer online engagement. She noted that one way to actively portray such a message is through theatrical presentation in the media.
“There are many ways to advocate for safer online engagement. Theatrical presentation is one. It is a powerful means of passing on information these days,” she said. “Therefore, if the newsroom inculcates such programmes, it will go a long way in sensitising the public on such issues.”
This story was produced as part of Dataphyte Foundation’s project on “Addressing Digital Surveillance and Digital Rights Abuse by State and Non-State Actors” with support from Spaces for Change.
