I agree with you scotty and one cannot ignore the fact that women DO face the sexual assault hazard on top of the physical danger that both male and female journalists experience.
Something EVERYONE here has to realize is that while we enjoy an enlightened society that accepts women as equals, not every other society is the same as ours and to say "they should be..." is just being naive. Plus putting yourself into the middle of a riot? I should think a physical assault is to be expected........
I kind of equate this situation to people who "thrill seek" and do things like bungee jumping, swim with sharks, mountain climb and then when they get injured, they look for sympathy. I don't buy it. If you go into a situation knowing the risks, and end up getting hurt, well, I'll (once again) reserve my sympathy for those more deserving ie: a woman walking home from work getting assaulted. Now one could argue that soldiers etc are no different but in that case, they take precautions to minimize their exposure (ie: flak jackets, body armor, helmets) and in this case, if there was a distinct danger due to her appearance, she should have been travelling with a protection detail.
I think if you put yourself into a dangerous situation you shouldn't be surprised when something happens......