The government has launched a call for evidence to better understand the nature and volume of threats and abuse against UK journalists.

Journalists affected by the issue have been urged to share their views and experiences in a bid to better protect those working in journalism.

The responses will inform the government’s work alongside the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, of which the Society is a member.

In a joint call, Media Minister John Whittingdale (pictured) and Minister for Safeguarding Victoria Atkin, said:

“Journalists play a crucial role in any democratic society; providing critical information, provoking debate and holding power to account. Unfortunately, too many journalists in the UK have reported that they feel unable to continue to carry out this vital work, because they are subject to threats, abuse and violence, simply for doing their jobs.”

They added, “We are therefore launching this Call for Evidence to help us gather the necessary evidence, to understand the threats that journalists face, and the impact that these have on journalism. We also want to understand whether journalists feel reticent to report incidents to law enforcement, and if so, why this might be.

“We need to know as much as possible about this problem, to ensure that we are taking the right steps to combat it.”

Journalists in the UK, or those who have expertise in this area, are invited to make their submissions here until 14 July.