Nowhere to Feel Safe Anymore. Mapping Public and Organisational Violence Against Journalists in Belgium

Violence against journalists is on the increase around the world: murders, physical assaults, verbal abuse, etc. (Brambila and Hughes 2019; Waisbord 2020). As this has been more likely to occur in countries in extreme risk situations (Frère 2015), the situation in Belgium has never quite been a cause for concern. However, in recent years, Belgian journalists have also been experiencing situations of violence. In a national survey, 5069 Belgian journalists were questioned, 27.5% of whom responded. This article focuses on three specific points: (a) considering the importance of diverse forms of violence (intimidation, verbal violence, physical assault and sexual transgressive behaviours); (b) identifying to what extent certain social and professional identities are more affected, by looking at the gender, age and professional status; (c) analysing the psychological, physical, professional, and legal consequences of this violence and the ways in which journalists react to and cope. Our contribution suggests to study violence against journalists as a whole, not just in public terms but also organisational terms. Finally, we discuss the different dimensions of violence: the experience of, the production of, the resignation to, and the resistance to violence in journalism.