For women journalists, systematic abuse and trolling is a familiar story across borders

The rise of social media has fuelled a surge in attacks on journalists worldwide. Women journalists particularly face personal attacks, false accusations and sexualised abuse that can erode years of hard work. This is especially so in Southasia, where there is barely any support from law enforcing agencies. No wonder many feel as though their countries are regressing, undermining the progress women have fought so hard to achieve.

Such abuse has become increasingly systematic, with group trolling now a prominent tactic. The Women Press Freedom 2024 report highlights how attacks on female journalists surged during Covid-19, as the global shift to the online gave abusers more opportunities to strike. From 2019 to 2024, Pakistan recorded 12 major cases of such harassment, followed by India with eight, and the US with seven. Many go unreported.

Torrent of abuse

High-profile women journalists remain prime targets, like Pakistan’s Asma Shirazi and India’s Rana Ayyub. Critics dismiss their journalism as “agenda-driven”, shifting focus away from the issues they report on. This has led to relentless harassment, not just from trolls but from state and non-state actors weaponising disinformation.

For Shirazi, a seasoned war correspondent who has covered conflict areas like Swat and Beirut, the latest wave of attacks began earlier in 2025, when...

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