Speaking engagements
Moderator of panel on refugee reporting at the Brooklyn Book Festival; also filmed on C-Span, September 17, 2017
“I Am Not Who They Think I Am” film premiere, panelist at ICTJ, New York, February 2, 2017
“Investigating and Reporting on Sexual Violence in Conflict,” panelist at The Frontline Club, London, November 16, 2016
Speaker at The Carter Center on how we sustain attention to painful issues like rape in war, Atlanta, April 20, 2016
“My body is not a battleground: the arts, sexual violence and human rights in the DRC,” panelist at Emory University, Atlanta, April 19, 2016
Gave testimony before the UK House of Lords on sexualized violence in conflict and threats faced by human rights defenders, November 3, 2015
“Human Rights and Wars,” speaker in Turin, Italy, May 22, 2015
“Research, Reporting and Advocacy: New Opportunities and Challenges Facing Public Scholars,” panelist at The Carter Center, Atlanta, September 16, 2014
“Sexual Violence and Conflict in Syria,” panelist at Emory University, Atlanta, September 15, 2014
“Trauma, Tragedy, & Conflict,” moderator of panel at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism‘s “Conversations in Journalism,” New York, April 5, 2014 (above, photo by Ye Ming)
“(No) Spring for Women? Political Transition and Sexual Violence: Examples from the Arab countries,” speaker on Syria at Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Berlin, December 12-13, 2013
“Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War,” panelist at NYU School of Law, New York, November 25, 2013
“The Other Red Line: Sexualized Violence in Syria and Beyond,” keynote speaker at Emory University’s Institute for Developing Nations, November 19, 2013
“Tracking sexualized violence in Syria,” panelist at the Global Convening to End Mass Atrocities, Istanbul, June 20, 2013
Speaker on two panels at the International Journalism Festival, Perugia, Italy, April 24-28, 2013
“Safety of Women Journalists,” speaker at the United Nations as part of a panel by UNESCO for the 57th Commission on the Status of Women, New York, March 6, 2013
“Feminicidio y nuevas formas de guerra: representación mediática ética y política,” keynote speaker at a conference on femicide sponsored by Asociación de Mujeres de Guatemala AMG, Madrid, February 17-20, 2013 (photo below)
“Sexual Violence in the Recent Conflicts in Libya & Syria,” panelist at University of Toronto Faculty of Law symposium, Toronto, February 8, 2013
“Global sexualized violence: From epidemiology to action,” co-host/moderator of daylong symposium at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, New York, January 25, 2013
“Witnessing Human Rights: Past, Present, and Future,” panelist at The Paley Center for Media, New York, December 11, 2012
“Preventing sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations,” speaker presenting WMC’s Women Under Siege’s mapping of rape in Syria to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, G8 ambassadors, UN and global NGO representatives, at Wilton Park, UK, November 14, 2012
“Discussion on suffering of Syrian women,” keynote speaker for National Press Club panel sponsored by the Syrian Expatriates Organization, Washington, October 5, 2012
“Charting the global women’s rights agenda,” moderator at Amnesty’s “XX Factor,” Washington, October 4, 2012
“Is it possible to stop rape in conflict?” moderator for the International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict, featuring three Nobel Prize laureates, New York, September 24, 2012 (photo above)
Testimony on WMC’s Women Under Siege’s findings on rape in Syria, at the United Nations, New York, July 18, 2012 (photo above)
“Safeguarding Democracy: Innovations in Human Rights & Technology,” panelist at Netroots Nation, Providence, June 9, 2012
“Wireless activism,” panelist at CTIA Wireless 2012, New Orleans, May 9, 2012
“Innovations in Gathering and Sharing News,” panelist, sponsored by IREX at UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day, Tunis, May 4, 2012
Selected TV and radio
PRI “The World” (radio), October 18, 2017, “Refugees to be assessed on ability to ‘assimilate’”
BBC World Service (radio), December 5, 2017, on the conviction of Congolese militiamen for crimes against humanity
BBC World Service (radio), May 21, 2017, on how research proves that men dominate media coverage and leadership positions in Western countries, not just in places like Afghanistan
BBC World Service (radio), March 21, 2017, “Trump’s Ex Aide ‘Hid’ $750,000 Payment”
UN Dispatch (podcast), July 11, 2016, “Journalist Lauren Wolfe reported on a horrendous war crime. Hours later the perpetrators were arrested”
ABC News Australia (radio), July 1, 2016, “DRC in shock after 50 young girls taken from homes and raped”
BBC World Service (radio), June 21, 2106, “If 18-month-old girls are being gang-raped, why are the suspects still free?”
Foreign Policy magazine’s Global Thinkers Podcast, April 6, 2016, “Sweden’s Foreign Minister Has No Time for Giggles.” A conversation with Sweden Foreign Minister Margot Wallström about her “feminist foreign policy” — and why gender equality is a matter of national security.
Foreign Policy magazine’s Global Thinkers Podcast, October 6, 2015, “Is the World Losing a Generation of Syrians to Trauma?” A conversation with Wendy Young, head of Kids in Need of Defense, discussing the hardships children endure when they flee war — and when they cross U.S. and EU borders.
BBC World Service (radio), April 14, 2015, “Who is raping little girls in a town in Congo?”
BBC World Service (radio), December 9, 2014, “What went wrong in Rolling Stone’s story on gang-rape,” (pre-recorded)
BBC World Service (radio), December 9, 2014, “What went wrong in Rolling Stone’s story on gang-rape,” (live)
MSNBC (TV), December 9, 2014, “Ethical, journalistic issues in Rolling Stone report” in three parts: 1, 2, 3
BBC World Service (radio), June 15, 2014, “The ups and downs of the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict”
BBC World Service (radio), June 11, 2014, “People fleeing the Syrian war are clamouring for mental health help”
CBC (radio), did eight different interviews on CBC programs across Canada about Syria’s mental health crisis, May 28, 2014
NPR (radio), “Nigerian Abductions Part Of A Terrible Pattern In African Conflicts,” May 17, 2014
CBC (radio), did 11 different interviews on CBC programs across Canada about how the Nigerian-style abduction of schoolgirls isn’t new, May 14, 2014
BBC World News (TV), “Why is violence and sexual violence against women under-reported?” May 8, 2014
CNN’s “Reliable Sources” (TV), “BuzzFeed creates unique media beat,” November 24, 2013
BBC World Service (radio), October 24, 2013, co-hosted an hour on BBC as part of their #100Women month
CNN International (TV), September 19, 2013, segment on the plight of Syrian refugees
Denmark Radio, July 18, 2013, “En bølge af seksuelle overgreb som følge af borgerkrigen i Syrien”
BBC World Service (radio), May 19, 2013, “Syrian women refugees struggle at Zaatari camp”
Australia’s “The Wire” (radio), May 14, 2013, “Live-tracking rape in the fog of war”
Click below for an April 5, 2013, CNN International appearance about our new findings about the rape of women and men in Syria:
BBC World Service (radio), April 3, 2013, “BBC An unreported dimension of the Syria war: ‘Women Under Siege’ says soldiers using rape as a tool”
BBC World Service (radio), March 17, 2013, “Poor media coverage of the Steubenville rape case: Part 1 and Part 2”
Deutsche Welle (radio), February 13, 2013, “A conversation about global rape culture and media”
CTV “Canada AM” (TV), February 8, 2013, “Sexual assault in Syria tracked through social media”
NPR “All Things Considered” (radio), February 5, 2013, “Through Social Media, Tracking Rape In Syria”
Click below for an January 10, 2013, CNN International appearance about the killings and rape of women in Syria:
HuffPost Live (Online), January 9, 2013, appearance discussing the roots of rape
BBC World Service (radio), January 8, 2013, “A gang-rape in Tanzania and beyond”
Click below for an December 17, 2012, HuffPost Live appearance about tracking Syria’s crimes:
CTV News (TV), October 9, 2012, “Many Syrian women raped”
CBC (radio), “The Current,” October 2, 2012, “The high price of the Syrian conflict on women”
CNN (radio), August 21, 2012: “Akin’s remarks deemed ‘harmful’ to rape survivors”
Click below for an August 14, 2012, CNN appearance about sexualized violence in Syria:
BBC World Service (radio), July 11, 2012: “How rape is being used as a weapon of war in Syria”
Click below for a June 2, 2012, “On the Media” radio segment on NPR about the difficulties of covering rape in Syria:
BBC World Service (radio), May 29, 2012: “Launch of UK initiative to stop rape in conflict, Syria”
ORF (Austria radio), May 2, 2012: “RadioRadiokolleg – Technologien im Dienste der Menschenrechte“
Danish Radio 24seven, April 10, 2012: “Globus 12.07 10-04-2012”
Free Speech Radio News, April 5, 2012: “Effort to document sexual violence in Syria uses online tools to gather evidence”
NPR/WNYC (radio), “The Takeaway,” April 4, 2012, “Crowdsourcing Sexual Violence Data in Syria”
Radio New Zealand, March 29, 2012: “Mapping rape in Syria”
Radio Ireland, “NewsTalk,” February 13, 2012: “Are atrocities inevitable?”
PBS, “NewsHour” (TV), July 4, 2011: “Female journalists facing more risks, intimidation abroad”
NPR/WHYY “Radio Times” (radio), June 20, 2011: “Sexual violence against journalists”
Pacifica/KPFA Women’s Magazine (radio), June 13, 2011: “The unspoken risk of sexual violence against women journalists”
CNN International (TV), June 8, 2011: “Female journalists under attack”
CBC (radio), “The Current,” March 25, 2011: “Reporters & sexual assaults”
Selected print coverage of work on rape in conflict
“How One Reporter’s Coverage Helped to Bring About Justice & Accountability in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” Muftah, December 16, 2017
“Au Congo, les viols ont cessé à Kavumu, mais la reconstruction des victimes ne fait que commencer,” Slate (France), December 29, 2016
Newsweek, “‘The Uncondemned’: Retracing First Conviction for Rape as a Weapon of Genocide,” July 10, 2016
The New Republic, “The Trauma of Writing About Trauma,” April 20, 2015
The Globe and Mail (Canada), “Rape: A shameful weapon of war,” February 17, 2015
The Globe and Mail (Canada), “Why women who are sexually assaulted remain silent,” October 31, 2014
The New York Times, “Domestic Violence On the Rise Among Syrian Refugees,” August 29, 2014
NBC News, “Angelina Jolie, U.K. to Host Summit to End Sexual Violence in War,” June 9, 2014
WITNESS blog, “Ethical Examples of Interviewing Sexual Violence Survivors in the DRC,” March 13, 2014
Deutsche Welle (Arabic), “Syria: How women’s bodies are being used as war booty and symbols of power and dominance,” March 9, 2014
The Daily Star (Lebanon), “Jasmine Tent initiative seeks to offer safe space to vulnerable women,” December 17, 2013
Syria Deeply, “Worsening violence against Syria’s women,” December 3, 2013
Global Post, “Syria has become a terrible place to be a woman,” November 26, 2013
Global Post, “Using digital technology to help document sexual abuse in war zones,” August 2, 2013
The Washington Post, “Child marriages: Video of pleading Yemeni girl is just the tip of the iceberg”” July 24, 2013
Dagbladet (Norway), “Blir bundet fast og tvunget til å se på mens kone, søstre og døtre blir voldtatt” (Being tied up and forced to watch while wife, sisters and daughters are raped), April 5, 2013
Taz die Tageszeitung (Germany), “Auf dem Sofa im Krieg,” March 28, 2013
Foreign Policy, “Study: Government forces responsible for majority of rapes in Syria,” April 3, 2013
The Globe and Mail (Canada), “Live-tracking sexual violence in Syria,” April 3, 2013
VICE magazine, “Using mapping and Twitter to fight rape in Syria,” March 4, 2013
Foreign Policy, “Why Is It So Hard to Identify the World’s Rape Capital?,” March/April 2013
The Guardian, “Sexual assault crisis tempers euphoria over end of combat ban,” January 25, 2013
Voice of America, “Sexual Violence A Factor in Syrian Refugee Crisis,” January 21, 2013
Time magazine, “Is the Syrian Regime Using Rape as a Tactic of War?” July 12, 2012
CBS News, “Syria forces reportedly using rape, sexual torture in fight against opposition,” July 12, 2012
Corriere della Sera, “Lo stupro come arma di guerra in Siria,” July 12, 2012
Reuters, “Rape, assault are weapons of war in Syria – rights group,” July 11, 2012
Al-Arabiya, “Rape, assault are weapons of war in Syria,” July 11, 2012
The Jerusalem Post, ”Crowd-sourced map highlights rape by Syrian army,” July 14, 2012
The Independent (UK): “Women under siege: The use of rape as a weapon of war in Syria,” Sima Barmania, June 19, 2012
The Wild magazine: “Women Under Siege Puts Women on the Map,” June 18, 2012
El Mundo (Spain): “Cartografía de la tortura por violación en Siria,” June 16, 2012
Women’s Views on News: “Putting rape in Syria on the map,” May 28, 2012
CTV News: “A Conversation with Lauren Wolfe, Director, Women Under Siege,” May 15, 2012
Al-Arabiya, “International women’s group begins mapping sexual violence in Syria,” April 1, 2012
Mother Jones, “New Map Helps Women Track Down Rapists in Syria,” Erika Eichelberger, March 31, 2012
Mashable, “Crowd-Mapping Sexual Violence in Syria,” Sonia Paul, March 30, 2012
New Scientist, “Syrian crowdmapping project documents reports of rape,” Niall Firth, March 30, 2012
Reuters, “New Tool Helps U.S. Group Track Sex Crimes in Syria,” March 28, 2012
The Washington Post, “Syrian uprising: Imam tells rape victims they deserve to be honored,” Elizabeth Flock, March 28, 2012
Ms. Magazine, “Future of Feminism: Ending Rape as a Tool of War,” Aviva Dove-Viebahn, March 2, 2012
Toronto Star, “Fighting rape with words: Gloria Steinem launches website to combat sexual violence in war,” Debra Black, February 12, 2012
The New York Times: At War Blog,“What We Are Reading: Women Under Siege,” C.J. Chivers, February 9, 2012
The Guardian, “Why has it taken 65 years to recognise that rape is a weapon of war?,” Jane Martinson, February 9, 2012
USA Today,“Column: Finally, some hope for central Africa,” Kirsten Powers, October 18, 2011
Other print mentions
Marie Claire, “Who Should Replace All the Men Accused of Sexual Misconduct? These Women,” November, 17, 2017
“Female Journalist DEVOURS Trump After His Twitter Fit; Most EPIC Takedown Yet (TWEETS),” New Century Times, May 18, 2017
“These 5 journalists are making a big difference in the world,” One.org, May 3, 2017
Andrew Sullivan’s The Dish,April 7, 2014: “Remembering Rwanda”
Columbia Journalism Review, April 7 2014: “More female journalists means broader foreign coverage”
TheJournal.ie (Ireland), Twice picked for “Sitdown Sunday: 7 Deadly Reads”; on June 16, 2013, for “A Syrian Refugee Wedding” in The Nation and on January 5, 2014, for “The legacy of silence: Why we ignore the rape of women from Guatemala to Syria” on WMC’s Women Under Siege
The Daily Telegraph (UK), December 19, 2013: “42 awesome women you need in your life on Twitter (plus 2 men)”
AOAV, October 8, 2013: “100 of the most influential journalists covering armed violence”
Foreign Policy, August 13, 2013: “The FP Twitterati 100”
Poynter.org, March 25, 2013: “Why asking & answering readers’ tough questions is helpful when covering rape”
Women’s eNews, March 19, 2013: “Journalist of the Month: Lauren Wolfe Crowdsources Rape, Sex Assault Data”
Poynter.org, March 18, 2013: “CNN’s Steubenville coverage called too sympathetic to teens found guilty”
Poynter.org, January 14, 2013: “Why journalists are covering rapes differently in New Delhi & Steubenville”
Fast Company, December 21, 2012, “Social Influencers Who Are Changing The World Through Twitter”
Poynter.org, August 17, 2012: “10 ways to get traumatized sources to share their sources”
The Levo League, December 14, 2011: “A Seat at the Table: a Twitter-ful list of women crucial to foreign policy”
Selected print coverage of work on sexualized violence and journalists
The Washington Post, “On International Women’s Day, reflections from women journalists in war zones,” Emily Wax, March 8, 2012
St. Petersburg Times,“A reporter and a mob’s sexual assault,” Eric Deggans, November 14, 2011
The Gender Report, November 5, 2011: “Journalists and sexual violence”
MediaBistro/TVNewser, November 4, 2011: “Lara Logan’s Attack Inspires Other Women Journalists to Come Forward”
Poynter/Romenesko, November 4, 2011: “CBS’ Logan: ‘My attack was retribution against the free press’”
American Journalism Review, September 2011: “Out of the Shadows”
El Mundo (Spain), June 10, 2011: “Violencia sexual, tabú periodístico”
Die Standard (Austria), June 8, 2011: “Mauer des Schweigens bei Journalistinnen”
Journalism.co.uk, June 8, 2011: “CPJ report brings sexual assaults on journalists to light”
The Huffington Post, June 8, 2011: “Sexual Assault Of Journalists: Committee To Protect Journalists’ New Report”
Feministing, June 8, 2011: “New report on sexual violence against journalists”
EFE/Univision, June 7, 2011: “CPJ da a conocer informe sobre violencia sexual contra los periodistas”
Inter Press Service, June 7, 2011: “Female Journalists Break Silence on Sexual Violence”
Poynter.org, June 7, 2011: CPJ report: “Sexual assault is ‘the silencing crime’ for journalists”
The Washington Post, June 7, 2011: “Female journalists face sexual threats abroad, report says”