"A DEN of misogyny" is show one observer described northern politics. But the advent of the cross community Womens Coalition in the recent elections means women politicians are fighting for their rights and attracting abuse as a result.
When he left the all party talks on Monday the deputy leader of the Ulster Unionists, John Taylor, purported not to know the name of our Minister for Justice. "The Irish Government sent this lady Nora. What is her name? Oh Mary Owen, oh Nora Owen. She was very offensive to the delegates there and she really damaged the atmosphere very badly at the outset. She upset the DUP, she upset the United Kingdom Unionists and she upset the Ulster Unionists. And she really was very threatening - you must work to this timetable and get it all resolved over the next seven days or else the talks have failed and we won't be taking part."
Surely not the Nora Owen we know. The Women's Coalition told the Minister when she was at Stormont again on Tuesday that they believed Mr Taylor's remarks were unacceptable and deeply sexist. Bronagh Hinds said he wouldn't have forgotten a male name in this way.
Most of the sexist abuse in the Forum, she says, comes from the unionist side in an attempt to alienate the WC from its unionist members.
The WC has two members at the Forum: last Friday, ranks of unionists called them "silly women" in the chamber and Ian Paisley said the same thing outside. Their offence? They had questioned the boys' decision to rush through motions about flying the Union Jack while the other boys, in the SDLP and the Alliance, were elsewhere.