Violence Against Women in Politics

In a screeching career gear-change worthy of Matt Hancock, I have hung up my political-adviser boots and become an author.

It is becoming increasingly evident that life in modern politics is presenting women with a stark choice – endure almost constant online threats and abuse or get out of public life.

“The problem is that when a woman is attacked, she gets attacked for her character, but never for her policymaking,” Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani.

Women’s political participation remains low, with women occupying only a quarter of parliamentary seats around the world.

The current Lok Sabha (2019-2024) has the highest-ever representation of women Members of Parliament at any point in India, with 78 MPs in the 545-member House (around 14 per cent).

The rise of the information society, predominantly sculpted by modern technologies, has blurred the lines between our online and offline lives.

Violence against women in politics (VAWIP) is an urgent problem worldwide. At the time of this writing, U.S.

“I faced so much violence on Facebook”, she said. “I am separated from my husband, so people could say unimaginable things using [pseudonymous] accounts, to me and my family. It was just chaotic.”