Election season can be dangerous for reporters. Tuesday, the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) held its Newsroom Safety Across America Initiative in Austin, where they discussed risk assessment, journalist’s rights, and protest safety.

Elisa Lees Muñoz, executive director of the IWMF, “Felt the need to tackle this issue ahead of the election cycle,” recalling a heightened number of attacks against journalists during previous election years. The IWMF reported that over 40% of the 350+ journalists they have trained reported experiencing physical violence or threats on the job. According to the U.S Press Freedom Tracker, there has been an uptick in journalist arrests and attacks in 2024.

Journalists in battleground states are also at a higher risk. “We saw the media and journalists being directly targeted at campaign rallies, particularly in battleground states,” said Muñoz. To help journalists covering those states prepare for this election cycle, the IWMF has provided safety training in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Muñoz also emphasized the need for safety training among women and women of color. “Women journalists and journalists of color are particularly targeted when it comes to attacks, and so we really try to make sure that we are reaching underrepresented communities and that we have training where the need is highest,” said Muñoz.

In an IWMF and Trollbusters Report, 78% of U.S-based women journalists stated that “gender was a contributing factor to their attacks and threats – both online and off.”

During the training, journalists from all over Texas came together to brainstorm action plans and discuss their safety strategies.

Corinne Chin, director of news talent for recruitment at the Associated Press, provided risk assessment templates and real-world scenarios to help brainstorm and develop an action plan. Additionally, Chin dives into the psychological effects journalists experience on the job and the tools available to them.

International Women’s Media Foundation Security Director Jeff Belzil discussed hotel security, situational awareness, and active-shooter safety. He emphasized the importance of editor and reporter communication, encouraging journalists to communicate the risk they are willing to undertake to get the story, as well as hourly check-ins during on-the-ground reporting.

Additionally, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press attended the safety training, where they informed journalists of their rights. Their goal is for journalists to avoid arrest, secure news-gathering materials, and assert their rights respectfully. They provided information regarding voting booth coverage, trespassing laws, and detainment and arrest rights. They also provided extensive details on how to handle interactions with the police.

Freelance photojournalist Justin Hamel attended the safety training to learn how to make better personal safety decisions in the field and understand the threats when covering the current election.

“I learned how to properly assess risk. Communicating with editors and making plans ahead of time, rather than like the day before, is extremely important,” said Hamel when discussing his takeaways from the training. “Especially as a freelancer, I often get brought on the day before, making it hard to have a plan beforehand. This year, I would like to be more proactive and safety conscious.”

To date, the IWMF has provided safety training to more than 600 journalists.

Muñoz encourages journalists or anyone in the news coverage field to contact the IWMF for help or advice.