Resource List

Resource List

Online Harassment-Related Resources for Journalists

Emergency Funds for Journalists

These organizations offer grants and emergency funding for journalists with legal, cybersecurity or other crises-related needs.

Online Resources for Journalists

  • Threat Model from the Electronic Frontier Foundation: Engage in risk assessment specific to your needs to protect yourself from electronic surveillance

  • PEN Field Guide to Online Harassment for Journalists: Includes strategies and resources that writers, journalists, their allies, and their employers can use to protect and respond to online abuse.

  • Women Media Center Speech Project: Features tools and resources to help women in media respond to emergency situations, as well as links to guides and organizations that can offer support against online abuse.

  • International Women’s Media Fund: Organization that provides safety training, byline opportunities, and emergency support tailored to female journalists and photographers around the world.

  • Trollbusters: Invites users to report online harassment, and offers coaching, reputation repair services, and digital security courses for journalists.

  • Heartmob: Invites users to report and document online harassment across platforms and seek desired support. Includes online guides to technical and social media safety, self-care, and legal and organizational defense.

Information and Research on Online Harassment for Journalists

LEGAL HELP

Representation and Advice

These organizations offer legal advice, referrals, funding and/or representation for people facing harassment online.

  • Carrie Goldberg, PLLC: N.Y.-based law firm offering legal services and information for victims of cyberstalking, online extortion, nonconsensual pornography and other forms of online abuse.

  • Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project: Offers pro bono legal services to victims of nonconsensual pornography. Contact the Legal Project here.

  • Tyler Clementi Institute for Cyber Safety: Law school clinic offering free counsel to victims of cyberharassment, as well as cybereducation in the form of guides and workshops. Contact here.

  • Yale Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic: Provides advice on news gathering rights and civil litigation services.

  • Legal Aid: Offers financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans by providing funding to 133 independent non-profit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. Find legal aid in your area here.

  • National Crime Victim Bar Association: Provides technical support to attorneys representing crime victims in civil actions, refers crime victims to lawyers in their local area, and works to increase general awareness about the availability of civil remedies for victims of crime.

  • Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts: Legal aid and education organization offering free or low fee legal services to N.Y.-based artists. Contact the organization here.

  • CiviliNation: Features online resource guides and list of attorneys by state who specialize in representing victims of online harassment.

  • National Women’s Law Center: Works to protect and promote equality and opportunity for women and families across sectors, and recently established the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund to connect those who experience sexual misconduct with legal and public relations assistance.

Information

These guides explain how to pursue a legal case, and include links to additional resources for victims of online harassment.

  • Something Can Be Done! Guide from Without My Consent: Contains strategies, tips and resources developed by digital abuse lawyers for pursuing a legal case related to nonconsensual pornography. Strategies can be applied to other types of online harassment.

  • Know Your Rights Guide from HeartMob: Offers step-by-step strategies for creating a legal (civil or criminal case) for victims of online harassment.

DIGITAL SECURITY

Recommended Digital Security Guides for Journalists

Use these resources to learn how to install privacy tools, secure your online accounts, and protect yourself, your loved ones, your colleagues and your sources.

  • Surveillance Self Defense Tips, Tools and How-Tos for Safer Online Communications
    (Electronic Frontier Foundation)    : Includes step-by-step tutorials on installing privacy and security tools for different operating systems, tips on encryption, and journalist-specific information for scenarios including protecting yourself during a protest or border-crossing.

  • Journalist Security Guide: Technology Security (Committee to Protect Journalists): Features narrative-style guide that walks users through risk-assessment and selection of tools to protect online security. Includes tips on account protection and secure communication.

  • Cyber Safety and Security (PEN America Foundation Online Harassment Field Manual): Journalist-specific guide that outlines measures to prepare and respond to online harassment. Includes information on how to block, mute and report harassment, deploy supportive online communities, and protect one’s online presence from attacks.

  • Security Planner (the Citizen Lab): Recommended by multiple journalist-focused security guides, this step-by-step guide customizes security recommendations based on the user’s tech devices, needs and concerns.


MENTAL HEALTH

Support and Crisis Response Helplines

Access these phone and online-based hotlines if you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, distress, domestic violence, and/or crime including sexual assault.

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255: Offers 24 hour, free and confidential support, prevention, and crisis resources for people in distress and their loved ones, as well as best practices for professionals. Online chat option also available.

  • Crisis Text Line- Connects anyone in the U.S. who texts 741741 with a trained Crisis Counselor.

  • The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233: Connects callers 24/7 with trained advocates to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence and/or seeking resources, information, or answers to questions about their unhealthy relationship. Also offers secure online chat option.

  • The National Center for Victims of Crime Help Line 1-855-484-2846: Allows callers to speak to a victim assistance specialist on the phone or via secure online messaging system to get confidential referrals for help.

  • The National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673: Connects callers with a trained staff member from local sexual assault service provider. Also offers an online hotline, allowing users to privately chat with trained support specialist via security-enhanced instant messaging system.

Helplines for Impacted Groups of People:

Trans, GLBT and/or people experiencing anxiety and depression can also contact the following helplines for confidential, immediate assistance.

Information on Stress-Management and Wellbeing


PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM ORGANIZATIONS

These organizations provide funding, research, events, resources and information that support journalists’ work, safety, and wellbeing.

Member Organizations By Type

These organizations offer resources, events, and information for journalists, largely based on their primary media use or beat.

Identity-Based Member Organizations

These organizations offer resources, events, and information for journalists based on their gender, race, nationality and sexual orientation.


HARASSMENT-SPECIFIC RESOURCES

Nonconsensual Pornography

  • Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project: Offers pro bono legal services to victims of nonconsensual pornography. Contact the Legal Project here.

  • Cyber Civil Rights Initiative: Offers resources including legal services, an online removal guide, and a 24/7 crisis helpline (844-878-2274) for victims of nonconsensual pornography that reside in the U.S.

  • Without My Consent: Legal resources and information including template for evidence preservation, guide for online removal, and helpful questions to ask your lawyer.


RESOURCES OUTSIDE THE U.S.