Skip to content
Hindi News, हिंदी समाचार, Samachar, Breaking News, Latest Khabar – Pratirodh

Hindi News, हिंदी समाचार, Samachar, Breaking News, Latest Khabar – Pratirodh

Primary Menu Hindi News, हिंदी समाचार, Samachar, Breaking News, Latest Khabar – Pratirodh

Hindi News, हिंदी समाचार, Samachar, Breaking News, Latest Khabar – Pratirodh

  • Home
  • Newswires
  • Politics & Society
  • The New Feudals
  • World View
  • Arts And Aesthetics
  • For The Record
  • About Us
  • Featured

Online Abuse & How It Could Drive Women Out Of Political Life

Sep 30, 2023 | Pratirodh Bureau

Research has revealed that four out of five women parliamentarians have been subjected to psychological violence such as bullying, intimidation, verbal abuse or harassment. Two thirds have been targeted with humiliating sexual or sexist remarks and more than two out of five have received threats of assault, sexual violence or death (Representational Image)

It is becoming increasingly evident that life in modern politics is presenting women with a stark choice – endure almost constant online threats and abuse or get out of public life.

Jacinda Ardern, the former prime minister of New Zealand, and Sanna Marin, the former prime minister of Finland, are the two highest profile cases, but the problem is widespread.

Elected representatives have always faced criticism and public scrutiny. Some would argue this is par for the course. But the social media era has normalised ever more aggressive forms of abuse. Politicians can now expect insults, intimidation, cyberbullying and trolling as a regular part of their daily online interactions.

Women in politics can expect even worse. Everything from sexist comments to hate speech, cyberstalking, body shaming and even threats of assault, rape and death, all create a toxic virtual environment that poses a real risk to their participation in public life – and the health of democracy.

The problem is global. Research by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an organisation that seeks to represent parliaments around the world, revealed that four out of five women parliamentarians have been subjected to psychological violence such as bullying, intimidation, verbal abuse or harassment.

Two thirds have been targeted with humiliating sexual or sexist remarks and more than two out of five have received threats of assault, sexual violence or death.

The abuse against Ardern has been so intense that even in retirement she’s expected to have extra police protection. Work in the US and Canada, India, the UK, South East Asia, across Africa and in Europe reveal broadly similar findings there.

Ongoing research at the University of Galway on the experiences of female politicians in Ireland – from local councillors to former government ministers – paints a similarly worrying picture. In qualitative interviews, conducted as part of my ongoing research with colleagues, we’ve found more than nine out of ten reported they had received abusive messages.

These ranged from foul language to hateful comments about their appearance and intelligence. Almost three quarters said they had experienced threats of physical violence on social media and 38% said they had received threats of rape or sexual violence – all criminal offences under Irish law.

Joan Burton, the former tánaiste (deputy prime minister) of Ireland, previously revealed she had been threatened with an acid attack, and had received death threats from internet trolls. Intersectional cyberabuse is also commonplace, according to a study published by the European Parliament. Women politicians who belong to minority racial or ethnic backgrounds, or identify as LGBTQI+, are frequent targets.

And of course it is not just politicians who are at risk. The Economist Intelligence Unit has reported that more than one in three women have experienced online violence.

Driving Women Out

All this has the very real potential to pose a chilling effect on the participation and engagement of women in civic and political life – not just as politicians but as participants in the online debates that now drive so much of political culture. A global survey by Washington-based non-profit National Democratic Institute found that more than half of young women who posted political opinions online were attacked for their views.

This abuse isn’t just a collection of isolated incidents – it’s a systemic problem that erodes our democratic values. One in five Irish female politicians who responded to our study said they have considered quitting politics because of the online harassment they have received. Safety concerns for themselves, their staff and their families further deter participation. Some respondents also said they didn’t feel safe going to public meetings.

A 2021 report by Nato tracked abuse received by Finnish female government ministers, including Marin, on X (formerly Twitter) and found volumes of hostile, gendered attacks. The report uncovered routine uses of terms like “lipstick government”, “feminist quintet” and “tampax team” to refer to the government.

A key point in the Nato report is that these attacks were coordinated by those actively seeking to disrupt democracy. This amounts to compelling evidence that the problem runs deep, illustrating that people attempting to undermine a government have recognised attacking women as a winning strategy.

The examples highlighted in the report don’t merely revolve around hatred towards these women. They underscore that those seeking to oppose a government understand this form of hatred is an effective means to achieve their goals. This suggests a disconcerting indifference on the part of the attackers but also a perception that nothing can or will be done to counter their attacks.

After years of progress on increasing female participation in political life, democracies around the world are now in real danger of regressing if women are driven out of politics.

We Know The Problem, We Know The Solutions

Tackling cyber-violence against women in politics is complicated but that doesn’t mean we cannot take action. Laws already exist that are supposed to protect women from this kind of abuse but they are not being vigorously enforced.

It’s also time to rein in the tech platforms and hold them legally accountable for the toxic content they host, pushed out by their algorithms. A collective international effort is needed to advocate for tough sanctions.

That should include, for example, an online safety tsar with the power to force these monoliths to take down abusive content and stop it from spreading. Tech companies that are consistent hate spreaders should face massive fines.

Public awareness and education campaigns should target boys and men, emphasising respectful online behaviour and critical thinking to encourage them to question harmful stereotypes and biases. They should be taught digital literacy to better understand the consequences of their actions online. Meanwhile, robust support systems are needed for women politicians facing abuse.

The impact of online abuse on female politicians is significant. And if the issue isn’t addressed, it could lead to dire consequences for democracy as women retreat from positions of power.

(This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here)

Tags: cyber-bullying, cyberstalking, online abuse, Pratirodh, women, women in power

Continue Reading

Previous From Abundance To Endangerment To Revival
Next UFOs: How NASA Plans To Get To The Bottom Of Unexplained Sightings

More Stories

  • Featured

Cong Flags Concerns As India & US Negotiate Trade Deal

9 hours ago Pratirodh Bureau
  • Featured

Climate Conversations Need To Embrace India’s LGBTQ+ Communities

10 hours ago Pratirodh Bureau
  • Featured

Why Wetlands Hold Carbon & Climate Hope

11 hours ago Pratirodh Bureau

Recent Posts

  • Cong Flags Concerns As India & US Negotiate Trade Deal
  • Climate Conversations Need To Embrace India’s LGBTQ+ Communities
  • Why Wetlands Hold Carbon & Climate Hope
  • ‘BJP Attempting To Omit Secularism, Socialism From Constitution’
  • Redevelopment Plan In Dharavi Sparks Fear Of Displacement, Toxic Relocation
  • Why Uncertain Years Lie Ahead For Tibet
  • ‘PM Can Now Review Why Pahalgam Terrorists Not Brought To Justice’
  • India’s Forest Communities Hold The Climate Solutions We Overlook
  • From Concrete To Canopy: The Grey-To-Green Shift Urban India Urgently Needs
  • “Trade Unions’ Strike Is Opposing Modi Govt’s ‘Anti-Worker, Anti-Farmer’ Policies”
  • A New Book On Why ‘Active Nonalignment’ Is On The March
  • Reporting On A Changing Agricultural Outlook
  • Oppn Has Faith In SC, United On Bihar Electoral Rolls Issue: Congress
  • How Social Media Design Can Either Support Or Undermine Democracy
  • The Rise Of India’s Moringa Economy
  • Covid ‘Sudden Deaths’ Have Not Increased Due To Vaccines: ICMR Study
  • Gas Leak In Assam Oil Rig Under Control But Has Affected Hundreds
  • Burned Out: Privatised Risk Is Failing Victims Of Climate Disasters
  • Maharashtra: Rahul Gandhi Attacks Modi Govt Over Farmer Suicides
  • From Bonn To Belém, Global Climate Talks Inch Forward Amid Deep Divides

Search

Main Links

  • Home
  • Newswires
  • Politics & Society
  • The New Feudals
  • World View
  • Arts And Aesthetics
  • For The Record
  • About Us

Related Stroy

  • Featured

Cong Flags Concerns As India & US Negotiate Trade Deal

9 hours ago Pratirodh Bureau
  • Featured

Climate Conversations Need To Embrace India’s LGBTQ+ Communities

10 hours ago Pratirodh Bureau
  • Featured

Why Wetlands Hold Carbon & Climate Hope

11 hours ago Pratirodh Bureau
  • Featured

‘BJP Attempting To Omit Secularism, Socialism From Constitution’

3 days ago Pratirodh Bureau
  • Featured

Redevelopment Plan In Dharavi Sparks Fear Of Displacement, Toxic Relocation

4 days ago Shalini

Recent Posts

  • Cong Flags Concerns As India & US Negotiate Trade Deal
  • Climate Conversations Need To Embrace India’s LGBTQ+ Communities
  • Why Wetlands Hold Carbon & Climate Hope
  • ‘BJP Attempting To Omit Secularism, Socialism From Constitution’
  • Redevelopment Plan In Dharavi Sparks Fear Of Displacement, Toxic Relocation
Copyright © All rights reserved. | CoverNews by AF themes.