On World Press Freedom Day (May 3), we launched the Online Safety Of Diverse Journalists report, our Australian-first research which served as a critical step towards identifying, understanding, and addressing online abuse and harassment of diverse journalists and media workers. The report specifically examines the following marginalised cohorts: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTQIA+, and people living with a disability.

The research was jointly led by Griffith University and Macquarie University with support from Meta Australia, Google News Initiative, eSafety Commission and Twitter Australia. Findings were presented by lead academics Faith Valencia-Forrester (Griffith University) and Professor Bronwyn Carlson (Macquarie University) with speaker representatives from Media Diversity Australia, Meta Australia, Google News Initiative, eSafety Commission and Twitter Australia.

Key findings are summarised as follows:

• 85% of sample of Aboriginal, CALD, LGBTQIA+ and media workers with a disability had experienced either personal or professional abuse online;
• 50% of respondents said the abuse and harassment stayed online only, exactly half the abuse and harassment either sometimes (11%), or occasionally (39%), moved offline;
• 42% of the sample said that the abusive messages, comments and other forms of communication were occurring on at least a monthly basis, while 11% experienced it daily.

Check out the infographic, press release and official report here.