This brief report follows the methodology developed by the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) in the Western Balkans, combining desk research, analysis of quantitative data from the SJN database, and qualitative insights gathered through three interviews with three women journalists who were victims of various attacks during 2025, as well as a focus group held in February 2026 with six women journalists of different profiles.
The report builds on the findings of the 2024 research and provides an updated assessment for 2025, with a particular focus on the implementation of existing legal and institutional protection mechanisms in a context marked by continuous political pressure and rapid digital transformation.
The analysis covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2025 and examines patterns of risk, forms of gender-based violence and discrimination, institutional responses, as well as their impact on the professional work and psychological well-being of women journalists. Given that there were no changes to the legal framework, the analysis is largely based on statistical data on attacks against women journalists from the SJN database and the records of the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office, as well as on testimonies of women working in the media.