Not the only one

“If you're pulling all of the women out, you're essentially saying that what happened to her is her fault", says Leila Fadil, the Cairo bureau chief for The Washington Post. Every women journalist wants to stay protected while bringing home the news. Saddened about what Ms. Logan must have gone through at that moment, my heart goes out to her. But I don't think what appears to be an isolated incident should be a reason to pull seasoned female correspondents away from a very important story. To do so would weaken the diversity and minimize the coverage of the future of a nation that overthrew a dictator in a largely peaceful manner and inspired a region to demand change. 


I understand that journalists take extraordinary risks while working in conflict zones. It is something I will never be able to do physically or mentally. My ultimate respect, however, is reserved for those female journalists who choose to undertake the risk alongside their male counterparts — women I look to for inspiration. It’s not simply for the fact that they are present in the war. They are also able to uncover angles of a particular conflict that are otherwise closed to male journalists and photographers. Women journalists have effectively been able to pierce through the hearts that narrate stories of the victims in conflict zones. They are more likely to earn the trust of subjects of a story, especially in cultures that might have heavy taboos regarding women and children.

Both female and male correspondents have been killed, maimed and wounded in conflict zones. “Both Western journalists who lost their limbs on land mines in Afghanistan since last fall are men, they could have been women.” Said Badhken, who has covered wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Chechnya and Kashmir.Therefore as a rule, war does not discriminate. Sexual harassment and assault is undeniably a problem and absolutely horrific, but that does not mean women should be intimidated into not reporting in difficult situations. Male journalists have been assaulted and killed too, but I haven't heard calls for them to leave. Women should not be discouraged from reporting conflict. They are equally capable as men and also have a different perspective, which makes it important for them to be in the field.

Female journalists have reported certain issues heroically and play a vital role in journalism. They are a much-needed and important voice in this profession and the world. It is no one’s place to say that a person should be precluded from covering wars or conflict zones based solely on gender. Great care and attention needs to be put into place to protect female journalists as well as other journalists from such violence and allow them to report the news safely and freely. Being a woman journalist has benefitted their work, providing an alternative view in what is often called a male-dominated media landscape. But at the same time women do sometimes need to take additional measures to protect themselves. We also know that safety issues should not be discriminated on the basis of gender.

Till now, the threat of rape is one that continues to worry news editors around the world. The assumption suggests that any woman held hostage for three weeks must have been sexually assaulted. After the death of male colleagues, people rarely question if men should be sent into war zones. However when women are sexually assaulted, the question is immediately asked as to whether they should report from dangerous places. Rather than questioning the wisdom of sending women on potentially perilous duty or worrying for their safety, I feel editors and news organizations should focus on preparing women and men against the threat of sexual violence and help them avoid it.

Some people might spout out a popular argument that a female journalist’s gender in and of itself places her in danger. The argument is valid, but it also extends to all who report and cover conflict zones and hazardous situations. Gender might be one factor, but it is just one in a bundle of issues. Covering conflict zones has its risks. Men and women alike face dangerous situations and may be injured or killed. Arguments that women journalists covering sensitive stories and at higher risks than men bear no weight. Women journalists have proven their skills time and again.

Therefore, The choice should belong to a woman reporter if she wants to cover a war, not an opinion based on an antiquated belief.