Denmark: President of the Danish Union of Journalists Tine Johansen Doxxed and Threatened

The journalist has reported the anti-Semitic email from an old acquaintance to the police

Location: Denmark
Date: September 14, 2023

A disturbing anti-Semitic email sent to Tine Johansen crosses the line from criticism to direct threats, calling for an “attack” on the journalist. The sender, known to Johansen, mentioned her home address in the message. The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges police to investigate the person threatening Johansen.

On September 14, Tine Johansen revealed she received a threat via email, calling for her to be attacked. The subject line read, "Call for attack on national traitor and fake Jew Tine Johansen." It included a screenshot of a tweet with derogatory remarks about her and her private address. 

The sender wrote the journalist was a "100% legitimate target for Danish patriots."

While Johansen initially dismissed it as typical online junk, she felt compelled to report it to the police. While she usually deletes such messages, this email's direct call for violence concerns her.

"It was definitely a violent message, and he had gone to the trouble of finding my private address, ” says Johansen.

Johansen has experienced increased offensive messages, particularly when discussing gender and equality issues. The journalist believes that hate messages pose a significant problem for society, as they deter individuals from engaging in public debates or expressing their opinions. She says the tone of online discussions can be harsh, but there is a clear distinction between criticism and harassment. 

Although Denmark ranks 3rd in the world in RSF’s ranking of 180 countries, journalists sometimes face skepticism and occasional hostility, especially in areas with heated debates on immigration. The media has also faced controversy regarding sexism, leading to measures to protect women journalists and implement a new code of conduct.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the threats sent to Tine Johansen. We commend her for reporting the email to the police and implore authorities to take this threat seriously, investigate, and charge the person harassing Johansen.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.