'6 Out of Every 10 Journalist Women Subjected to Discrimination in Business Life'

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* Six out of every 10 journalist women say “I have been subjected to discrimination in my business life because of my gender”.

* 55% of the journalist women tell they don’t receive equal pay for equal work

* 87% tell giving birth negatively affects their career.

Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) Women and LGBTI Commission has announced results of the survey it conducted with journalist women in February 2018 in Turkey.

Gülfem Karataş and Zeynep Yüncüler from the TGS Women and LGBTI Commission read out the statement.

Stressing the condition of imprisoned journalist women at the end of the statement, they said, “It is unacceptable that any journalist be sent to prison over occupational activity”.

220 journalist women participated in the survey

47% of the 220 women journalist participants work in printed press, and the rest work at TV channels, online news sites, news agencies and as freelancer.

In the survey the journalists were asked about sexual discrimination (economical, labor force, marriage, birth) and violence.

55% tell they suffer from unequal pay

According to the survey, 63% of the journalist women think that they are taken less seriously compared to their male colleagues and their labors are less visible.

63%, in other words six out of every 10 women, say “I have been subjected to discrimination in my business life because of my gender”.

Besides, 55% of the participants more or less agree with the statement that “I am paid less than men who do the same or similar job with me”.

Extra “job” for journalist women

TGS Women and LGBTI Commission says that “In addition to overtime work, journalist women have to work at home too and it is not their only ‘job’ at home. In addition to this intensive tempo, they are expected to be responsible for house work and child care. However, this expectation turns into a discrimination against them”.

Having a child

87% of the participants of the survey think that having a child negatively affects or might affect their care. Most of them tell that they had to have a break from their work or quit their job after having a child.

All responsibilities being expected from women turns into a discrimination against women in many career fields but it is not the same case in marriage. The rate of those who think that marriage doesn’t or won’t negatively affect their career is 42%. (ÇT/TK)