Rachel Gilmore, a 31-year-old independent journalist based in Montreal, expresses a profound sense of foreboding, likening her experience to laying a trail leading to her anticipated demise. Enduring sustained and aggressive online harassment and threats, Gilmore, a former reporter for CTV and Global News, found herself under intensified scrutiny when she delved into covering extremist groups on the internet. The situation reached a critical point when her name surfaced on a right-wing platform, linking her to the celebration of the murder of American activist Charlie Kirk, thereby escalating the threats she faced.
Through social media, Gilmore has meticulously documented the deluge of death threats, violent sexual assault threats, and manipulated videos targeting her. She has openly shared incidents such as a man brandishing a knife in a video directed at her and the sharing of her precise location by online perpetrators. Gilmore recounted an unsettling encounter where individuals she exposed in a story about extremist groups tracked her down at a local music venue, highlighting the real-world repercussions of her reporting.
In her interactions with CBC News, Gilmore disclosed the frustration of repeatedly contacting law enforcement with extensive evidence of threats over the years, feeling that she was merely providing a trail for her own tragic end. She expressed a grim acceptance that her murder might serve as a starting point for investigations.
A recent UN Women report unveiled the escalating trend of online violence against female journalists, corroborating Gilmore’s harrowing experiences. The report disclosed that a significant portion of female journalists, including Gilmore, had reported instances of online violence to authorities, with a notable increase in cases since 2020. Moreover, a quarter of those surveyed revealed they had sought medical help for anxiety and depression stemming from the online abuse they endured.
The report defined online violence as any harmful act facilitated or amplified through digital means, encompassing various forms of harm. A substantial portion of female journalists admitted to self-censoring on social media platforms due to the pervasive online threats they faced, with a growing number also self-censoring in their professional environments.
The prevalence of online harassment against female journalists is not unique to Gilmore’s experience but represents a broader issue within the media landscape. Various studies and reports have highlighted the alarming levels of hate and harassment targeting female and minority journalists, not only in Canada but globally. The need for comprehensive measures to address online violence and harassment, safeguarding journalists’ well-being and freedom of expression, has become increasingly urgent.
Despite the challenges she encounters, Gilmore remains resolute in her journalistic pursuits, now overseeing her media venture, Bubble Pop. She critiques the tendency of employers and authorities to advise journalists to reduce their online presence in response to harassment, emphasizing the detrimental impact this has on journalists’ work. Gilmore underscores the importance of diverse perspectives in journalism and the necessity of amplifying marginalized voices, stressing that silencing these voices only perpetuates a cycle of exclusion and erasure.
In the face of persistent threats and minimal institutional protection, Gilmore remains undeterred, recognizing the lack of safeguards as a sobering reality within the industry. While she acknowledges the tough road ahead, Gilmore remains committed to her profession, advocating for greater awareness and action to combat online violence and harassment targeting journalists, particularly women and individuals from marginalized communities.
