Aim of online misogyny is ‘to silence women’

Online misogyny and racism is aimed at women in an attempt to silence them, Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger has said.

The Liverpool Wavertree MP described Twitter as an “absolute cesspit”, which has got so bad she has turned off notifications to get away from the abuse.

Speaking at a Jewish Labour Movement conference event, Ms Berger said the hatred comes overwhelmingly from men and she said women are disproportionately affected.

She added: “Some of the stuff I get is also intertwined with sometimes pornography, sometimes violence…

“If you speak out there are very aggressive moves which are in order to silence women.”

She has seen five men go on trial over anti-semitic abuse directed towards her, with four of them receiving jail sentences.