Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
A report by UN Women and partners highlights that artificial intelligence (AI) has made abuse targeting women journalists and media workers easier and more damaging. The online violence they experience has become more technologically advanced, invasive, and harmful, eroding their rights amid growing democratic challenges, according to Kalliopi Mingerou of the agency’s team working to end violence against women.
The report, "Tipping point: Online violence impacts, manifestations and redress in the AI age," is based on a 2025 survey with 641 participants from 119 countries. It found that 12% of women human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and other media workers have experienced non-consensual sharing of intimate images. Six percent have been victims of deepfakes — AI-generated images that appear real. Additionally, one in three have received unsolicited sexual advances online.
Self-censorship is becoming more common among women journalists because of harassment. The survey indicated that 45% of women journalists and media workers have self-censored on social media, a 50% increase since 2020. Almost 22% have self-censored in their professional work. One environmental journalist from India described how online targeting by right-wing groups has led to personal threats and fear, pushing her to withdraw from investigative reporting.
The report also notes that women journalists and media workers are now twice as likely to report online violence to police compared to 2020, rising from 11% to 22%. The likelihood of pursuing legal action against perpetrators, including tech companies and employers, increased from 8% in 2020 to 14% in 2025.
Mental health effects are significant, with nearly 25% diagnosed or treated for anxiety or depression, and nearly 13% diagnosed with PTSD. The report connects these impacts to online violence and self-censorship behaviors documented in the survey.