When silence is not an option: The story of a journalist who faced online violence

Photo: from Olena's personal archive

Olena has been working in journalism since 2014. She began with news reporting and later moved into investigative journalism, focusing particularly on environmental issues.

After the Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Olena founded a human rights NGO “Kod 21”, to work more systematically and deeply in this field. Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction—until one day she was targeted by a wave of digital attacks because of her professional activities. 

Read below about the online violence Olena faced and the support she received from partners and loved ones.

Olena’s story is published by UN Women Ukraine as part of the global “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign. This year, the campaign highlights online violence. This form of abuse is not “just words on the internet.” It is psychological pressure that can have real consequences: disrupted sleep, fear of public appearances, and a constant sense of danger. It may leave no bruises, but it can restrict a woman’s presence in public life and force her to choose between her safety and her profession.

When the online space becomes a tool of persecution

For Olena, journalism is about driving meaningful and effective change. “It is about public interest, professionalism, and responsibility. We, as journalists, must be an active part of civil society,” she says.

The first targeted digital attacks began in June 2025. Several websites published doctored images of her and used offensive language. They also disclosed her personal information, including her place of birth and maiden name.

“These were targeted information attacks. I was accused, without any evidence, of fraud or of having ties with Russia. It was all done to discredit me,” Olena recalls.

What hurt the most was that some people in her region believed these false publications.

“It was unpleasant to see acquaintances liking those posts. But my family and colleagues supported me, and that helped me stay strong,” she says. 

Photo: Donbas Media Forum 2025

When support is near

During the attacks, Olena found support among human rights organizations. One of them was the ZMINA Human Rights Centre. They implemented a project supported technically by UN Women Ukraine and funded by the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

The goal of the project was to provide comprehensive support to women human rights defenders, volunteers, activists, and public leaders who faced persecution, violence, or challenging circumstances due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Within the project, Olena received public coverage of her situation and legal consultation.

“ZMINA was among the organizations that first spoke publicly about the attacks on me and provided informational support. Thanks to them, more colleagues and communities—even outside Ukraine—learned about what was happening. I realized I was not alone. I felt safer. I knew that if another attack happened, there would be people ready to help,” Olena says.

Life after online attacks

Despite the pressure and emotional toll caused by online violence, Olena did not reduce her presence on the internet.

“My habits didn’t change. On the contrary, I became convinced that it’s important to stay visible in the online space. Social media has become a significant part of our lives, and there’s no escaping that. I now believe even more strongly that in communities where internet access and user activity are high, we should increase our presence—both mine and that of the networks I work with,” she explains.

For her, resilience is important not only personally but also as an example for other women.

“We need to stay visible. We need to ask for help. Step out of our comfort zone and speak up. It’s a brave step, but a necessary one. When women remain silent, abusers get exactly what they want. Journalists and activists who stayed visible inspired and motivated me to do the same when facing threats,” she says.

Online violence is real. It can have serious psychological consequences and often escalates into physical or economic violence in real life.

But when a woman is not left alone—when she has support and a community that refuses to stay silent—women’s voices grow stronger, and silence loses its power.

Human Rights Centre ZMINA implemented the project “Supporting Women Human Rights Defenders in Ukraine for a Democratic Post-War Future”, funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) with the technical support of UN Women Ukraine.

The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the individuals featured and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the organizations supporting the campaign.