A new international study has found that most cases of sexual harassment in media workplaces are never officially reported, with women facing significantly higher levels of abuse than men.
The study, conducted across 21 countries, found that nearly one in three media professionals experienced sexual harassment at work, while 69 percent of survivors said they did not report the incidents.
The research was carried out jointly by WAN-IFRA Women in News, City St George’s, University of London and BBC Media Action.
More than 2,800 journalists and media workers from Southeast Asia, Africa, the Arab region and Ukraine took part in the survey.
Researchers said women were far more likely to face verbal and online sexual harassment in media workplaces.
The study also found that a quarter of respondents experienced physical sexual harassment, while some reported being survivors of rape.
According to the Bangladesh section of the survey, 17 percent of media professionals said they had experienced workplace sexual harassment.
Female journalists in Bangladesh were found to be much more vulnerable than their male colleagues, especially in cases of verbal and online abuse.
Many respondents said they avoided reporting incidents because of fear of career damage or lack of confidence in workplace action.
Researchers said employers often failed to take effective action even after complaints were filed.
The study warned that sexual harassment continues to affect newsroom culture, employee safety and long-term participation of women in journalism.
Officials involved in the research called for stronger workplace policies, accountability and support systems to make media organisations safer for journalists.
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