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Female UK election candidates report increased abuse

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Female UK election candidates report increased abuse

Source: The Guardian

Abuse of female election candidates is becoming worse, say candidates, activists and charities.

One female Labour candidate in the north of England said “the harassment continues apace” in the build-up to the election, with online harassment being a particular problem.

As well as being subjected to hate speech and targeted comments online, she said she had also experienced disinformation being spread about her, and malicious complaints being made against her to public bodies.

“Some days you can put a good face on and go out and face it,” she said. “And other days you just think: ‘Why do I do this? Why do I bother?’

“Your family are saying: ‘It’s not worth it, step down’. And these conversations are happening up and down the country with candidates and their families, and people who are thinking about putting themselves forward think, ‘Well, do I want to open myself up to this?’ It’s corrosive to our democracy.”

 

Christine Wallace, the Conservative candidate for Lewisham West and East Dulwich, also ran in last month’s Greater London Authority elections.

Read here the full article published by The Guardian on 14 June 2024.

Image by The Guardian

 

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The Guardian

Abuse of female election candidates is becoming worse, say candidates, activists and charities.

One female Labour candidate in the north of England said “the harassment continues apace” in the build-up to the election, with online harassment being a particular problem.

As well as being subjected to hate speech and targeted comments online, she said she had also experienced disinformation being spread about her, and malicious complaints being made against her to public bodies.

“Some days you can put a good face on and go out and face it,” she said. “And other days you just think: ‘Why do I do this? Why do I bother?’

“Your family are saying: ‘It’s not worth it, step down’. And these conversations are happening up and down the country with candidates and their families, and people who are thinking about putting themselves forward think, ‘Well, do I want to open myself up to this?’ It’s corrosive to our democracy.”

 

Christine Wallace, the Conservative candidate for Lewisham West and East Dulwich, also ran in last month’s Greater London Authority elections.

Read here the full article published by The Guardian on 14 June 2024.

Image by The Guardian

 

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