The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘Toxic online culture’ puts women off politics
CAREER: Dugdale makes claim amid calls for parties to take abuse seriously
Women with skills for elected office are put off standing to avoid “toxic online culture”, according to Kezia Dugdale.
The former Scottish Labour leader said online abuse is the “single biggest factor” that turns women off running for elected office.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said last week she has received personal attacks based on her age and appearance.
Ms Freeman said social media is “particularly toxic”, adding it concerns her that young women may be put off a career in politics.
It is a concern shared by women across the political spectrum.
Miss Dugdale, now director of the John Smith Centre, which works to improve representation, said: “The abuse women face online is, in our experience, the single biggest factor that turns women off standing for office.
“There’s a wealth of talented women across the country running community groups, services and campaigns, who have all the skills for elected office. They’re choosing to make their contribution to public life in those roles so they don’t have to face the toxic online culture that exists.
“There’s very much our collective loss as a society.
“That has to change before we can expect to make any progress.”
Female representation at Holyrood has stagnated at around 36%, from a peak of almost 40% in 2003.
Talat Yaqoob, co-founder of the Women 50:50 campaign, fighting for 50% representation in the Scottish Parliament, in local councils and public boards, believes social media companies must be held accountable.
“Women repeatedly tell us that abuse across social media is a significant barrier to their participation.
“They see the experiences of women in public life online and the levels of misogyny they experience, which is heightened for women of colour, who experience racism alongside this too.
“If we are serious about eradicating barriers for women in politics then we
“The abuse women face online is, in our experience, the single biggest factor that turns women off standing for office.
KEZIA DUGDALE
must also be serious about tackling online abuse and the spreading of hate – there needs to be more accountability of social media companies.”
In September 2017 Amnesty International measured and analysed online abuse against women MPS active on Twitter in the UK between January 1 and June 8 2017, with a particular focus on the six weeks leading up to the UK general election.
The analysis found Labour MP and then-shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, the UK’S first black MP, alone received almost half (45.1%) of all abuse during the period, followed by the SNP’S Joanna Cherry.
Ms Yaqoob called for political parties to “go beyond rhetoric”.
She said: “We need parties to be proactive in their outreach to diverse candidates, in supporting women from all backgrounds to run and, crucially, in ensuring that there are clear and robust reporting mechanisms for women to come forward, report abuse and trust something will be done about it.”