Online hate hinders ambition and performance of female local politicians

Women experience more hate

10% of all tweets addressed to female MPs contain hate or aggression. A large-scale study by De Groene Amsterdammer and the Data School Utrecht exposed sexism in the Dutch public debate in 2021. Through an analysis of tweets, newspaper reports and media appearances, the study mapped (online) hatred and aggression towards female politicians.

Atria investigated the impact of online misogyny on local female politicians and, in the run-up to the March 2022 municipal elections, interviewed eight women who were currently serving on councils or running for seats. The study not only confirms that women routinely receive more hate than male colleagues, but also shows that online misogyny limits female local councillors in their performance and political ambitions.

Good advice against online hate

Experiencing and confronting (in)direct online misogyny is problematic. It hinders equal representation and equal access to politics. This has detrimental consequences for the quality of democracy, as a large group in society is restricted in their political participation. Municipalities and political parties can support women politicians, for instance by setting up buddy networks for budding politicians and by raising awareness about online misogyny.

The following tips help shape an inclusive municipal council and create a safe working culture for women (compiled in collaboration with Vote for a Woman).

Acknowledge online hate against women
Online hate makes the work of politicians more difficult. However, there are differences between who is hit hardest by this. Female politicians are victims of online hate more often than men, and in a different way: The hate is often more personal and discriminatory in nature.

Pay attention to minority groups
The above also applies to politicians who are of colour and/or lhbti, for example. The more you deviate from the political norm (male, white, heterosexual, highly educated), the greater the likelihood of hate. Thus, online hatred stands in the way of equal political representation of women and minority groups.

Talk about it at a set time
Experiencing online hate is very unpleasant for everyone. You are not weak if you react emotionally to nasty comments. In fact, sharing your emotions shows that you are dealing with them in a healthy way. Therefore, build in fixed moments (in the group or in the council) to share unpleasant experiences, and give space to the emotions involved. This also applies to male councillors. It is good if they reflect on their own online behaviour to detect (perhaps unconsciously) harmful behaviour.

Offer help and report it
Online hate is not a private matter. Talking can help, but also ask for or offer concrete help. For example, it can be intense to read for yourself what is being said about you. So help reading the emails or online comments can be very welcome. Some forms of online hate, such as threats, sharing private information and discrimination, may be punishable. File a report if you suspect a criminal offence.

Be a buddy for novice councillors
Have you been walking the council for some time, and have already experienced a few things? Be aware that politics can still feel like an unsafe place for novice councillors. Offer yourself as a buddy for beginning fellow councillors or party colleagues, to guide them through the turbulent political waters.

Create a protocol for online safety
You cannot prevent online hatred, but you can make sure you are optimally secure online. Make sure you have strong, unique passwords on all your online accounts (use a password manager for this, for example), and always opt for double authentication. As far as you can, protect private data such as your address and phone number. And try to learn to recognise 'trolls' and anonymous accounts, so you know who you should and should not respond to.