In just two months, the Informal Network for Combating Sexism in the Media and Advertising Industry identified more than 830 sexist articles published in Croatian media. Among the domestic media outlets, the portal Dnevno.hr leads in the number of sexist articles, followed closely by 24sata, Net.hr, and Slobodna Dalmacija.
Analyzing the collected examples, the Network concluded that the most prevalent form of sexism in the media is the sexual objectification of women. Out of the 830 detected articles, 358 exhibited this phenomenon. The second most common form is derogatory and/or trivializing reporting on the appearance or behavior of women, rather than discussing their attitudes and opinions. There were 245 such articles.
Support and promotion of gender stereotypes were recorded in 108 articles, while 91 articles reproduced and maintained gender stereotypes related to victims of gender-based violence. There were 31 articles containing misogynistic content or hate speech, including homophobic, transphobic, and biphobic remarks, all within the Croatian media space since March 8, when media monitoring activities began.
Romanticization of Violence and Murderers
“Considering that the media is a primary creator of public opinion, we can conclude that such reporting significantly contributes to gender inequality, humiliates women, and reduces them to (sexual) objects for male consumption. Unethical and insensitive reporting on gender-based violence supports violence, while the promotion of gender stereotypes through media articles fosters the ‘return’ of women to traditional gender roles as solely mothers and housewives, subordinate to men,” explains Nataša Vajagić, program coordinator for women’s and LGBTIQ+ human rights at the Center for Civic Initiatives Poreč. In 2017, Vajagić and several colleagues started the Facebook and Instagram page “Sexism in Our Everyday Life” to document sexist incidents by Croatian journalists and editors.
With 30 Years of Experience: “It would be easy to address the most blatant sexism if women were not used as tools for editors to attract clicks and generate revenue.”
However, “Sexism in Our Everyday Life” has recently evolved into a more complex project, now run by the Informal Network for Combating Sexism in the Media and Advertising Industry. In addition to the Center for Civic Initiatives Poreč, the network includes the Center for Social Development, Research and Innovation – INOVA; the Karlovac Women’s Group “Korak”; the “Sofija” Association; the Rainbow Family Association; SOS Rijeka – Center for Nonviolence and Human Rights; NDC Osijek – Nansen Dialogue Center; the Center for Women’s Studies; the Association ZUM; the Association “HERA” Križevci; and the Center for Support and Development of Civil Society “DELFIN,” with the Croatian Youth Network as a supporting member. The project is implemented by the Center for Civic Initiatives Poreč in partnership with the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND) and the Icelandic organization for women’s human rights, Kvenréttindafélag Íslands. It is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the Fund for Active Citizenship.
“Through this kind of reporting, the media violates laws and codes to profit from clicks on women’s bodies and lives. We have repeatedly reported various media outlets to the authorities, but almost all editorial offices ignore these warnings and continue with misogynistic reporting practices,” concludes the Center for Civic Initiatives Poreč. They believe that sanctions should be much stricter and accompanied by fines to prompt faster changes in media coverage and the advertising industry.
A Fresh Example of Sexism
The Facebook and Instagram page was launched to raise public awareness about sexism, which often goes unnoticed because society is so accustomed to it.
“Although a sensational headline focusing on women’s breasts might not seem significant, it falls into the same category as misogyny, hatred of women, and associated violence. All of this can lead to the murder of women, femicide, which is then reported in a sexist manner—questioning what the woman was wearing, justifying the murders with male jealousy, conveying the unnecessary shock of neighbors who ‘didn’t know anything,’ and so on. Addressing the most obvious sexism in the media would be straightforward if editorial offices chose to promote equality rather than belittle women, and if women were not exploited for clicks and profit. More problematic is covert sexism, where journalists unconsciously reproduce deep-rooted sexist attitudes. Unfortunately, as long as sexism generates profit, the media will continue to produce it,” Nataša Vajagić recently explained.
In addition to their initial two months of work, the Informal Network for Combating Sexism in the Media and Advertising Industry states: “We will continue to monitor the media and advocate for stricter sanctions against those who repeatedly violate laws and codes.”
Source: Lupiga
