Perspectives and reflections of a female journalist in Botswana

Women in News ( WiN) alumni gathered in Gaborone to reflect and share experiences on the state of the media industry during the Online and Digital safety session in Gaborone.

WiN is a global accelerator hub geared at equipping women journalists with skills and knowledge required to be competent journalists, in an effort to increase voices and leadership of women in news and media.

As the media changes and news eco- systems transform, digital migration is now the norm but this also opens leeway for journalists to face online harassment.

Online violence poses a constant threat to journalists, resulting in serious implications for press freedom and self- censorship

One of the speakers on online harassment of journalists was Yvonne Mooka, former reporter at The Midweek Sun, now freelance journalist with BBC and New York Times. She cited an incident two years ago where she was posted on the page of a popular social media commentator and accused of “sleeping with pastors.”

She wrote on religious issues and Gender Based Violence ( GBV). The post set tongues wagging and earned her insults and negative backlash. It was a terrible time for her and she had to seek therapy to deal with the ordeal.

“It was challenging for me to overcome it, not only because it was lies but also because it hurt me and my loved ones,” she said.

I felt sorry for Mooka. As much as we were never friends, I respect her as a journalist. She is one of the first journalists who welcomed me with open arms into the newsroom many years ago under the helm of Abraham Motsokono, Mike Mothibi and Titus Mbuya.

Mooka and the late Itumeleng Mfila ( MHSRIP) encouraged me to join the newsroom when I was still a freelance copy editor, at a time when it was mostly male journalists at the forte of print media.

Once Mooka said to me, “The newsroom is not always a friendly place for women, and you should be strong.” We both wrote commentary on the challenges faced by women journalists in Botswana, which appear in the anthology, Botswana Women Write.

When she “fell victim” to maligning and mudslinging, I was not too surprised. Women in the public eye have had their own set- up scandal from celebrities to politicians, chiefs, activists and even journalists. Women tend to be attacked at some point, particularly online where they are “roasted” and trolled, regardless of the good work that they do in the public domain.

I have been there, burnt the T- shirt. My so- called detractors dug details about my private life looking for dirt or whatever, even going to juju men in my name. Ba batla go ikgomotsa ka nna, desperately looking for some “fallacy” and “weakness.” These things do happen!

I don’t blame them, sometimes admiration turns to curiosity and then fanatical obsession...

Every industry has toxic people who enjoy terrorising women and the media industry is no exception. There are many female journalists who have left the industry prematurely out of frustration.

The challenge is that when women report mistreatment they are labelled troublemakers, and isolated and vilified to “cut them to size” more so that few newsrooms have gender equality and anti- harassment policies.

Personally, I have found it best to permanently burn some bridges in some instances to protect my peace of mind and career prospects.

I have had support of male journalists including Mike Mothibi, Motsokono, Douglas Tsiako, Kali Muluzi, Andrew Marimadzwe, Mbongeni Nguni, Wene Owino, Ernest Moloi, David Moepeng, Ntibinyane Ntibinyane, some who I have

worked with, who appreciated my work as a journalist.

It was actually Muluzi who encouraged me to push boundaries and write “serious” stories. It was under his mentorship that I wrote a feature on the industrial impacts on environment and health at mines with focus on BCL which left in its wake many with respiratory conditions due to poor safety. It attracted criticism but it was a good story on the need for improved investment in environmental protection.

The rest is history.

Mind you not all men are sexist - some have worked with highly educated and smart respectful women, and come from female- led homes, so they respect women and appreciate their contribution to society.

But the reality is that even with support, female journalists are still vulnerable both online and offline. Our local media has been slow to challenge narratives that uproot violation of human rights and strive to elevate female leadership and women rights. Sexism is a recurring challenge the world over, but in Botswana it is worse because it is rooted in religious and cultural traditional practices that categorise women as second- class citizens.

At the height of my own challenges in media last year, I received a grant from the International Women’s

Media Fund ( IWMF) Black female journalists’ therapy fund. The funder Sonia Weiser asked me if I sometimes felt like quitting journalism.

I responded, “Yes, it is stressful, and the environment is sometimes not conducive.”

She encouraged me to weather the storm and invest in my development because the media industry is constantly transforming and I have to be on top of my game.

As a female journalist, there is often more focus on your appearance and looks, and private life; who you are dating, sleeping with or whether you could be pregnant or barren, married or divorced or a concubine or maybe a lesbian etc, especially young and unmarried journalists; it’s sometimes as if they owe someone an apology or an explanation for their reproductive cycle, sex life and the state of their womb and vagina more than their journalistic work.

It’s a systematic abuse culture pervasive in toxic sectors, that feeds off reducing women to sexualised trophies and kitchen girls, and makes them doubt their ability to “play safe” or do stories that perpetuate harmful patriarchal systems. It is called “gaslighting.”

But the most important thing is, “Did they read and understand the news story and what do they make of it?”

I have been supported by women journalists such as former The Midweek Sun editor Boitshepo Balozwi who identified my potential and gave me sound advice.

I have also worked with and been mentored by media stalwarts such as Pamela Dube, who has played a significant role in getting me out of my shell and urging me to get back into the newsroom.

As my WiN mentor this year, Dube helped me gain traction and realign my focus on the broader spectrum of media and news beyond just writing stories that inform and sell, but also influencing policy improvement and societal change because the Fourth Estate plays a critical role in national development.

Journalism is a noble career.

It’s exciting to be at the forefront of educating, empowering, informing and inspiring society.

Being part of a forum like WiN has empowered me to know that I am an able and capable journalist and my gender does not affect my intellect. I love people, society and storytelling and have an active role to play in society and do not need to grow balls to do so.

Like other female journalists, through the ups and downs, I continue to be an activism and advocacy voice, trailblazer not shy to break boundaries..