Harassment, economic instability and lack of support: the hard life of women journalists in Italy

Economic instability, precariousness, lack of safety: these are the working conditions in which the more than 15,000 women working as journalists in Italy risk finding themselves during their careers, with a huge impact on their mental health, a new report reveals. Prepared by journalist Alice Facchini for IrpiMedia through an anonymous survey answered by 558 journalists, men and women, the investigation gives a clear picture of the state of journalism in Italy and specifically outlines risks, limits and issues of being a woman in the field.

Last year, the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom associated Italy with a high risk for gender equality, valuing policies, involvement and representation in the media. With the help of the new investigation published by IrpiMedia the correctness of this assessment is even clearer. 

Low remuneration and precarious conditions 

In an already broken system like that of journalism in Italy, where around 72% of those under 35 earn less than €20,000 per year and articles for some of the most well-known national newspapers and news agencies can be paid between €1,50 and €15, women are among the hardest hit. Representing only 30% of those in leadership roles, women in journalism are paid less than men, both as freelancers and employees, with the under-30s being paid the least. 

Freelance journalist Claudia Torrisi has been self-employed for five years, after some internships and temporary jobs, but only recently has she found a certain economic stability: “For many years, I earned very little and had to use my savings or find side jobs that could help me”. Nevertheless, she is still unable to make plans for the future. 

“It is not only a gender issue”, the Italian journalist explained, “but also a class one: journalism in Italy is inaccessible to many, and if you do not have a family to rely on, especially at the beginning of your career, it is very difficult for you to proceed on this path”. It is even more difficult for freelancers: “When we talk about the precariousness of journalism, especially for women and young people, too often freelance journalists are overlooked and forgotten”. 

One of the main barriers for freelancers is the lack of transparency. While in many other countries rates and guidelines for pitches are readily available online, in Italy it is often impossible to even know who the right person to contact is. This “aura of mystery”, as Facchini called it in her investigation, creates disorientation among those seeking job opportunities and contributes to keeping the sector dark and unfair. Indeed, it is clear that not everyone is treated equally. The platform Lo spioncino dei freelance collects anonymous reports on how much editors pay: “You only have to browse through it a bit to realise that similar collaborations are paid differently by the same newsroom,” Facchini said, but since rates are not available online and “we don’t have gender-disaggregated data, we don’t know whether women are paid differently”. 

Gender discrimination 

Women also have fewer opportunities to work than men. They still have to shoulder a disproportionate share of caring responsibilities in their families, finding themselves with less time and energy to focus on their careers, and if they become mothers it is very common they end up being considered “worn-out goods”, as Facchini said. “Only a few days after giving birth I was already in a meeting,” she explained, aware of the importance of proving to herself and the editors she worked with that she could still do her job. 

There is also a problem of poor consideration and therefore treatment of professional women: seen as less good and reliable than men, they are often marginalised in their roles and abilities. From the stories collected by IrpiMedia, one journalist was called a ‘schoolgirl’ by her manager, while another woman told of a source who refused to be interviewed by her and asked to speak to a man. As an investigative journalist specialising in women’s rights and feminist issues, Torrisi as well often felt that her work was considered of lesser importance: “When I covered the #MeToo movement,” she said, “I was belittled and described as ‘a woman who writes about women’s issues’ by some of my colleagues.”

While recounting paternalistic attitudes towards her as well as harassment, Facchini stated that this type of behaviour was a frequent topic in her investigation for IrpiMedia: “Many women said they experienced harassment in the workplace and over their career, with some of them providing details”. From sexist comments and unwelcome looks to sexual assaults, Italian journalism is still an unsafe place for women: indeed, 85% of the more than one thousand women journalists interviewed by the Federazione Nazionale della Stampa Italiana in 2019 reported that they had experienced abuse during their working life. In recent years, violence against women comes also from digital spaces: since women are the main target of online abuse in the country, those who work in the media are likely to be subjected to defamation, threats and misogynistic comments, which can lead them to restrict their freedom of speech. While covering the far-right movements, Torrisi became the target of online harassment: “It was disturbing”, she said. 

Women are also disproportionately exposed to the threat of gender-based violence when working on the ground, and although many journalists don’t want to turn down opportunities for this reason, they know they are always at risk. Nonetheless, publishers and editors do little, often nothing, to allow them to do their job safely. A journalist surveyed by IrpiMedia told that, after filing a story, she found herself in the middle of the night, alone and being catcalled: “I was scared”, she said. 

“On one hand I don’t want to be treated differently and lose opportunities because I’m a woman”, Facchini said, “but gender-related risks must be taken into account. And the problem here is the lack of backing from newsrooms for journalists in general, both men and women”. 

Mental health and what needs to change 

As IrpiMedia’s report revealed, gender discrimination and harassment as well as precariousness and economic instability have an important impact on the mental health of women journalists. But there is even more: hypercompetitiveness and the judgmental environment are two other important stress factors for 72% and 66% of women, respectively. From the fear of not being able to have a break and the pressure of always being on the spot but never having enough time, money and energy to tell the stories one would like to tell, being a journalist in Italy can exhaust people – especially women, who have to navigate in a system that seems to want to leave them on the margins. 

“I am lucky because I am stubborn”, Torrisi said, “but during the pandemic I found myself being too tired, probably burnt-out, and I started to have doubts about my abilities and my future as a journalist. I was identifying with my job at a time when I could not do it as I wanted to – it was a tough moment”, she remembers. 

Panic attacks, trauma-disorders, insomnia and eating disorders are common among journalists, particularly women, and many of those who work in the field would like to have access to free therapy and support groups. But resources from the government, the social security fund as well as the Ordine dei Giornalisti, the corporation that regulates the journalistic profession and its members, are limited and unavailable to many. 

Instead, it is the grassroots movements and actions that are trying to change the system from the inside. “After the pandemic, a discussion has opened up about lifestyles and the compromises we are willing to make. The hypercompetitiveness is giving way to a desire to create networks and collaborations, including transnational ones”, Facchini explained. 

Journalists are setting up groups and collectives to share stories, opportunities, tools and advice – safe spaces for women and every person who struggles in this system. Cristiana Bedei, a freelance journalist with international experience, runs Lavori per chi scrive, a weekly newsletter with new media jobs, and co-hosts regular and affordable workshops for women journalists, a great opportunity to find colleagues and build strong relationships. A group of women working in the media founded Espulse. La stampa è dei maschi, with the goal of investigating sexual harassment and abuse of power in Italian journalism. Torrisi is a member of Centro di Giornalismo Permanente, a collective of freelance journalists founded in 2018: “We wanted to create an opportunity to break away from the isolation in which freelancers can find themselves”, she said. 

Torrisi strongly believes “we need more collectives and opportunities to cooperate” – and many women journalists are already working in this direction. 

Source of the cover photo: https://unsplash.com/

---