Journalistic competition for young people: online violence against girls and women
Are you interested in writing and journalism? We are pleased to invite you to participate in our initiative, aimed at young people who want to cover issues related to online harassment of women.
OPEN SPACE Foundation and the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria, with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria, invite you to become a reporter and cover the topic of online harassment of women.
Online communication and social networks are a preferred means of communication for millions of people worldwide. But besides connecting people, the online space often becomes an arena for online harassment. Although it targets both genders, studies show that women are more often subjected to online violence. According to EU data, about 73% of women have been subjected to online attacks. From hate speech and insults on social media and online bullying at school, to the emergence of the so-called “incel” culture and cases of publishing photos/personal information for revenge, the manifestations of online violence can be numerous. But even if it’s not related to harassment, digital communication changes us. How does growing up in a digital environment that encourages “likes” affect the self-esteem and identity of young girls, as well as their mental health? Some teenagers, for example, intentionally give up their smartphones.
Beyond the problems, you can also cover positive developments: What are the possible solutions? Are there online support groups? Are there organizations or initiatives that try to help women who have been subjected to online attacks, or take measures against some of the threats?
The project’s goal is to empower young people to recognize manipulative practices in the digital space, develop critical thinking, and shed light on topics related to online harassment of girls and women.
You can write a text, shoot a video, record audio, or create a multimedia project.
Application:
Young people aged 13 to 24 can participate in this initiative. If you want to be one of the participants in this project, follow these steps:
We accept materials that clearly fall into the category of “journalistic report” and are aimed at:
- Send us a material idea and fill out this application form.
What questions about online harassment of girls and women online are of interest to you and your peers? What are the current problems that the media should pay attention to? What story do you want to tell?
You can cover one of these topics or develop your own idea, as long as it meets the assignment.
Choose the idea that interests you most and send us a story proposal (a few paragraphs are usually enough). The idea description should be brief and answer the Five W’s: who, what, where, when, and how (don’t forget why). Tell us what makes your material proposal unique and interesting. When preparing the description, consider some of the following questions: Why do I want to tell this story? Why is this story current and important? What new can I say, and do I learn something interesting and significant? Is there a news hook, and will I have access to sources and information to develop it into a journalistic material?
Invitation to Participate and Consultation with an Experienced Journalist:
Candidates will be informed by August 15, 2025, whether their material proposal has been selected and if they will continue their participation in the project. If your topic is among those selected, you will receive detailed feedback and the opportunity for a 30-minute conversation with an experienced journalist, who will give you guidance on how best to develop your proposal.
Become a reporter during the summer vacation and send us a completed material on your chosen topic. Selected candidates will work with an experienced journalist who will provide guidance and advice throughout the period of information gathering and material creation. Deadline for submission of materials: September 15, 2025.
The competition is open to young people aged 13 to 24 to develop and implement journalistic materials that benefit the local community and contain the following elements:
- Problem Identification: Recognizing and presenting specific examples of online harassment and disinformation targeting women in the digital space.
- Analysis and Information: Offering in-depth analysis of these phenomena and informing the community about their risks and impact.
- Proposing Solutions: Developing ideas, strategies, or campaigns that offer concrete proposals for countering and improving women’s online safety.
Application Deadline: July 30, 2025.
Evaluation Criteria:
Your materials will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Relevance: How well the material addresses a real problem related to online harassment and disinformation targeting women.
- Originality and Innovativeness: Unique approach and fresh ideas in presenting the topic.
- Clarity and Specificity: Clearly formulated idea and objectives of the material.
- Quality of Journalistic Material: Overall quality of the journalistic material, structure, language, and, if applicable, accompanying multimedia elements.
- Potential Impact: How much the material can influence the resolution of a given problem and/or shed light on little-known issues.
Prizes:
Ten (10) project ideas will receive a financial award of BGN 300 after the material is written and published.
Important Dates:
- Final deadline for competition entry: July 30, 2025.
- Material submission: By the end of October 2025.
We believe that the voice of young people is key to building a safer and more informed online environment. We look forward to your ideas!
For additional questions and information, please contact the project team at: info@openspacebg.com
