Women in Politics Face Death and Rape Threats Online

Women who work in Australian politics are facing serious threats online, including threats of death, rape, and violence. A new survey found that nine out of ten female politicians and candidates have experienced some form of abuse or intimidation linked to their jobs in politics. Experts say the problem is getting worse, and it is making many women think twice about staying in — or even entering — public life.

The survey was carried out by a not-for-profit group called Women For Election (WFE). It looked at the experiences of 110 women who work in politics at all levels of government across Australia. More than three-quarters of those women said the abuse had gotten worse over the past two years, and 81 per cent said they had changed how they behave because of it.

WFE chief executive Licia Heath said the results were shocking. She explained that while male politicians also receive online abuse, the type of abuse is very different for women. Some women even reported that threats were made against their children, and one politician now has someone escort her daughter to the bus stop to keep her safe.

Ms Heath said the abuse is not random — it is meant to push women out of leadership roles. She warned that Australian democracy is at risk if talented women choose not to run for office or leave their jobs because of relentless online abuse. 'It's to silence women's voices when they step into leadership, and at the worst, also to destabilise our democracy,' she said.

Some politicians shared their own stories. Sara Souvlis, a first-time councillor on the Fraser Coast, said she has been attacked online for things like what she wears and what car her husband drives. She said it is too easy for people to make personal attacks instead of simply having a respectful difference of opinion.

Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said she has faced online abuse ever since she first ran for politics in 2010. She even had to remove political signs from her cars because her staff were being followed and harassed. 'It's not just online, it's actually people screaming at you at shopping centres and the rest of it, so it can be pretty bad,' she said.

The survey found that 50 per cent of women were unsure whether they would run for office again, and 64 per cent said the abuse made them less likely to encourage other women to do so. QUT professor Vicky Browning said women's participation in politics is crucial for a healthy democracy. She said that if women do not feel safe in politics, they simply will not want to take part.

Experts are now calling for social media companies and AI platforms to be held more responsible for the abuse that happens on their sites. Australia's online safety regulator, eSafety, said new AI technology is making the problem grow faster and more dangerous. It called on the technology industry to stop the 'mass weaponisation' of their platforms so all Australians can take part in public life safely.