Online abuse of women politicians
The digital onslaught against women in politics erodes public trust in democratic systems. Media and tech platforms, too often complicit, hold the power to reshape this landscape
Violence against women in politics is a pervasive threat that undermines the very fabric of democracy.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union reports that 80% of women parliamentarians globally have withstood psychological violence, with 25% facing physical attacks tied to their roles. This misogyny isn’t just personal – it’s a systemic attack on equal representation.
In the digital era, cyber violence has emerged as a particularly insidious weapon, amplified by platforms that thrive on outrage. A 2021 UNESCO survey found 41% of women politicians report online abuse – gendered slurs, doxing, death threats – far outpacing men.
This digital onslaught doesn’t just harm individuals; it erodes public trust in democratic systems. Media and tech platforms, too often complicit, hold the power to reshape this landscape.
Media coverage, maybe inadvertently, undermines women politicians with stereotypes – think ‘emotional appeal’ while men strut off with ‘bold statement’ for the same speech. Training journalists to spot gendered framing is a start. Editors could enforce a checklist: Does the story spotlight competence? Would it read the same for a man?
The Global Media Monitoring Project shows women are just 24% of news subjects, even though the number of women at decision-making levels has increased. Push that number up and the narrative shifts.
Also, women politicians face disproportionate scrutiny for slip-ups – think of how Hillary Clinton’s e-mails dominated coverage for so long while male peers’ scandals faded fast; one even moonwalked to the presidency.
Fact-checking obsessively could starve misogynistic lies; real-time verification during broadcasts would kneecap falsehoods. While these themes will spread faster when lies go unchallenged.
Visuals matter, of course. Let’s do away with irrelevant shots of women MPs for images tied to legislative wins. Outlets like The Guardian have started guidelines to avoid sexualised framing, setting a standard; we could all learn and follow.
Accountability is key: media watchdogs or public dashboards could track word choice, airtime or photo bias, naming offenders. This isn’t coddling – it’s dismantling double standards.
Social media companies have a big responsibility to curb the harassment and abuse of female politicians, since their platforms amplify it at scale.
It is of the essence that they tweak their algorithms to stop rewarding outrage bait – posts attacking women often go viral because they trigger engagement, not because they’re useful. Dialling back amplification of toxic content, like gendered slurs or threats, would cut its reach without banning free speech.
X, for instance, could flag accounts that pile on female politicians with coordinated hate – studies confirm women are targeted more.
When we support women in politics, we protect the future of democracy itself
Moderation needs teeth: AI misses nuanced attacks like veiled threats that slip past automated filters, so more humans should be involved in this work. A priority reporting lane for public figures, especially women, could zap ‘kill yourself’ DMs or doxing within hours.
Facebook’s ‘high-profile’ takedown system is a start but limps – it should be scaled up.
Transparency is another lever. It would force action: if X or Instagram admitted “60% of threats hit female MPs”, they’d feel the heat to act. Clear rules would help: three strikes for verified harassment and you’re gone, no blue-check exceptions. User tools, like TikTok’s basic filter for gendered insults or troll swarms could empower women without stifling debate.
The catch? Profit. Outrage pays – X’s ad revenue spiked after Elon Musk loosened moderation in 2022. Coincidence? I don’t think. Governments could counter this, tying tax breaks or fines to progress on this, as the EU’s Digital Services Act suggests.
Understanding cyber violence is hampered by data gaps. The EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA, 2023) notes underreporting is rampant –stigma and fear of escalation keep incidents hidden, skewing statistics. There’s no EU-wide system to track violence against women in politics specifically; data fragments across national surveys.
Emerging threats, like AI-generated deepfakes targeting female politicians, lack comprehensive tracking, leaving us blind to their scale.
The EU has raised awareness and built legal frameworks but these gaps and cultural barriers leave the challenge unresolved, threatening democratic inclusion.
Media and tech aren’t bystanders – they’re enablers. Smarter coverage, tougher platform rules and better data collection won’t end cyber violence overnight but they’d erode the systems letting it thrive. People in politics deserve judgement for their work, not digital hate. The stakes – democracy itself – demand action.
So, where do we go from here?
We must work for a world where a woman steps into politics not bracing for battle but ready to build.
That’s the democracy we’re fighting for – a democracy where half the population isn’t forced to pay a higher price for participation.
Progress isn’t inevitable; it’s earned. Every one of us has a role. Call out violence when you see it. Support women who run. Demand action from those in power. Because when we support women in politics, we protect the future of democracy itself.
Helena Dalli is a former European commissioner.
The above is an excerpt from the closing speech by Helena Dalli at the seminar ‘Addressing Violence Against Women in Politics’ organised by the University of Malta on April 10.