Women hoping to make it in the media have always had a tough time. The industry is as macho as it is competitive, and professional rivalries frequently descend into bitterness and quarrels.

Such angst has reached boiling point in France, where prosecutors are examining a criminal complaint of sexist and racist harassment about a “boys club” that bullied female colleagues online.

Nominally liberal journalists were among those who created the “Ligue du LOL” (League of Laugh Out Loud) and used it to torment those they considered unfit for their chosen careers.

Targets over a 10-year period ranged from TV presenters and feminists, to women from ethnic minorities who dared to discuss contentious issues.

They were subjected to horrifying abuse featuring pornography and rape references. All were directed through a closed Facebook group, or the preferred weapon of the unreconstructed troll – the anonymous Twitter account.

#MeToo movement – In pictures Show all 24 1 /24 #MeToo movement – In pictures #MeToo movement – In pictures 2017 A picture shows the messages "#Me too" and #Balancetonporc ("expose your pig") on the hand of a protester during a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence called by the Effronte-e-s Collective, on the Place de la Republique square in Paris AFP #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Italian actress Asia Argento (C) and US singer and actress Rose McGowan, who both accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, take part in a march organised by 'Non Una Di Meno' (Me too) movement as part of the International Women's Day in Rome AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2017 Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood, California AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 South Korean women staging a monthly protest against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul. Since May 2018, the monthly demonstrations against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul has shattered records to become the biggest-ever women's protest in South Korea where the global #MeToo movement has unleashed an unprecedented wave of female-led activism AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2017 Swedish MEP Linnéa Engström sits behind a placard placed on her desk that reads "Me too" during a debate about combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU at the European Parliament in Strasbourg AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Activists participate in front of the Brandenburg Gate in a demonstration for women's rights in Berlin Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 A McDonald's employee holds a sign during a protest against sexual harassment in the workplace in Chicago AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 An activist participates in the 2018 #MeToo March in Hollywood Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Women protest in New York Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Women hold a banner reading "still feminist" with the Eiffel tower in background AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2017 French activist Jean-Baptiste Redde, aka Voltuan, holds a placard as protesters take part in a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence in Paris AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse, including Democratic candidate for Illinois governor at the time JB Prtizker (left), gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Chicago, Illinois after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted out Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and agreed to an additional week of investigation into accusations of sexual assault against him before the full Senate votes on his confirmation. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were both teens Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 A group describing themselves as #MeToo/#YoTambien survivors, hold a candlelight vigil outside the Mexico Consulate to support the women taking part in the human caravan heading through Mexico to the US border AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2017 Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park for international Women's Day in New York Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2017 People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel in New York Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2017 Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day AFP/Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Dozens of protesters against the confirmation of Republican Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh gather outside of Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's office on the afternoon that Professor Christine Blasey Ford testified against Kavanaugh in New York Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza in Chicago Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2017 People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel Getty #MeToo movement – In pictures 2018 Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Getty

As someone from a racial and religious minority who started my journalistic career in my home city of Paris and in London, I know exactly what complainants went through.

More than that, I can confirm that this venomous culture continues to poison national debate in Britain, where vicious enemies regularly try to exclude people like me from having a say.

Disagreement and debate are absolutely essential in a democracy, but those who go for me because I am a Muslim woman go far beyond acceptable moral and legal boundaries.

An influential London-based editor I have never met was forced to apologise unreservedly and retract his words after posting horrific claims concerning my faith. He had ample form for defaming others linked to Islam.

The same unconditional apologies were issued by a similar white, male writer who lied so as to shovel me into an equally malevolent narrative for the cover story in a left-wing UK magazine.

Another prominent British columnist – who is commissioned by both right-wing and left-wing publications – encouraged student journalists to troll me with dishonest postings, before I contacted them personally to put them right about his fabrications.

Other deceitful Twitter messages about me were, astonishingly, under the name of a senior female member of staff at France’s embassy in London, who is tasked with liaising with journalists.

Against all the evidence, the alleged diplomat accused me of being a fake news peddler. The smears were solely aimed at me, and not the legions of middle-aged Caucasians who reported exactly the same facts as the ones I was being castigated for.

My letters of complaint are now being studiously ignored, with the obvious implication being that people like me are not worth bothering with.

In all cases – both in Britain and France – attacks went far beyond healthy opinion.

Dark-skinned commentators from modest backgrounds are barely heard of in establishment France, and those who do pop up are there to be shut down as soon as possible. Plenty of bigots wish the same for Britain.

Such examples are solely the non-anonymous ones. Those caught out soon move their malice to the shadows. Cowards who refuse to identify themselves abound on social media and comment threads. These BICs (brave-in-cyberspace), as I once dubbed them, are now bolstered by armies of bots and paid-for followers who can be mobilised to make even the most obscene views appear absurdly popular.

Little wonder that women often feel crushed by the continual struggle to be treated with respect. It is the same for others in public life, not least of all politicians.

In France, the journalist Melanie Wanga described herself as being “a young, black woman journalist” trying to raise serious issues such as apartheid in the face of constant harassment.

Victims came close to giving up journalism altogether. They were severely depressed and understandably so, as once friendly colleagues on liberal titles such as Libération attempted to destroy them.

The scandal has been described as France’s media #MeToo, in reference to the campaign that started outing sexual abuse carried out by powerful males.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Vincent Glad, the founder of the Ligue du LOL, said he had “created a monster”, while another member said: “I saw that certain people were regularly targeted but I never guessed the depth of the trauma suffered.”

It all reminds me of the time I was invited on to a BBC TV politics programme to speak on a divisive issue involving Muslims from Paris. There were strong views on both sides, and both deserved to be heard. Instead, former Conservative minister Michael Portillo suggested my very presence was unwelcome and that I should “remain silent”.

Plenty of others have since said the same as Portillo – both to my face or, far more often, anonymously.

They are all part of a self-satisfied media clique who do not just want to win arguments against people from different backgrounds, but who actually want them to shut up completely.