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We can’t keep letting women politicians be abused online

Words of condemnation will not be enough to stem the tide of sexist, misogynistic abuse

Northern Ireland’s Minister for Justice Naomi Long has expressed concern that the torrent of sexist and misogynistic abuse being levelled at women politicians on social media may make women “think twice” about pursuing a career in politics.

The Minister aired her concerns after being subjected to what was described as a “vile misogynistic” pile-on following the Stormont Executive’s decision to roll out a mandatory vaccine passport. The flood of targeted offensive language was widely condemned by her peers as well as the wider public, but words of condemnation will not be enough to stem the tide of sexist and misogynistic abuse. Easily dismissed and ignored by some, abuse threatens to corrode women’s political potential from the inside out.

Gender-based violence and abuse against women in politics is nothing new, however they have been on the rise in tandem with the advent of social media and increases in women’s political participation globally. Research continues to demonstrate that women are disproportionately targeted, with trends identified in the UK, India, US and – yes – Ireland.

Women are not only disproportionately targeted, but the types of abuse levelled at them also differs from that which is aimed at their male counterparts

In 2020, research from NUI Galway found that 96 per cent of women politicians received hate mail or abusive messages on social media. Three quarters had been threatened with physical violence, and two in five were subjected to threats of sexual violence. The testimonies are shocking, with one participant sharing that they had human faeces thrown on them, while another was repeatedly threatened with an acid attack. Those who took part in the survey spoke of concerns not only for their own safety, but also that of their families.

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In 2021, reports in the Irish Examiner offered a window into the lived experiences of women TDs, with one stating that she had received a sexually violent letter with references to rape and incest. Another TD was forced to contact gardaí after she was subjected to sustained instances of harassment, with men repeatedly turning up at her home. What begins on social media is increasing leading to more extreme forms of in-person harassment.

Women are not only disproportionately targeted, but the types of abuse levelled at them also differs from that which is aimed at their male counterparts. There are more threats of sexual violence, body shaming and personal attacks. Oftentimes when this misogynistic behaviour is highlighted and scrutinised, it encounters apologists offering arguments in its defence. Social media users claiming that women are “fair game”, that it’s “part of the job” and that male politicians receive the “same level of abuse”. Regardless of their gender, no-one should face threats of violence in performing their public duties.

The disturbing reality is that abusive, inflammatory and misogynistic language is almost always rewarded in some capacity online. Social media platforms such as Twitter rely on deep learning algorithms that prioritise the dissemination of content with greater engagement. Inflammatory and offensive posts can quickly generate replies and retweets. These highly offensive and widely shared posts are then frequently picked up by the wider media, which serves to further bolster the profile of the offender. This issue isn’t exclusive only to Twitter of course, as most social media platforms, content aggregators and media hosting sites employ similarly programmed algorithms.

Addressing the systemic abuse of female politicians on social media will take more than just reform within the architecture of social media companies; political parties, media, and governments all have a role to play in bringing forward measures and protections to stamp out gender-based violence and abuse online.

Social media has the potential to be a great political equaliser in women's political participation

In 2020 the European Commission proposed the Digital Services Act, which is intended to improve content moderation. It has yet to be approved by the European Council or the European Parliament.

In Ireland the Criminal Justice (Hate Crime) Bill 2021, introduced by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee earlier this year, will impose a prison sentence of up to six years on anyone inciting hatred on social media, including gender-based content. It is stuck in the Oireachtas.

There are, in any case, significant shortcomings with McEntee’s proposed legislation. To obtain a conviction, it has to be proven that the suspect deliberately acted with intent to incite hatred. Another gap is the lack of standalone stalking legislation reflective of the severe danger and consequences stalkers pose to their victims.

Social media has the potential to be a great political equaliser in women’s political participation, serving as an easily accessible platform capable of bolstering the profile of prospective candidates or representatives who struggle for space in mainstream media. But in its current form, it oftentimes serves as a poorly regulated cesspit of misogyny and hateful content, deterring would-be change makers and underdog candidates.