The Atlantic
Lauren Wolfe, director of Women Under Siege, says female journalists who are sexually assaulted on the job often stay quiet because they don’t want to lessen their standing in the newsroom. CBS’ Lara Logan, however, has inspired more women to come forward with their stories. Logan, who was sexually assaulted in Cairo’s Tahrir Square last February, tells Wolfe:
“My attack was retribution against the free press in general and the flow of information — it was meant to discredit the revolution. … It had a much bigger purpose to it.”
Logan also shared her reactions to a situation involving Jineth Bedoya, a Colombian journalist who was kidnapped, drugged and gang-raped while investigating state officials and members of a paramilitary group 11 years ago:
“An attack in retribution for your reporting speaks directly to the First Amendment. It’s terrifying in a different way. In her case, justice is critical because if you’re allowed to attack journalists with impunity, there will be no free press, especially if the government is involved.”
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