Ireland

The online abuse of women in politics is on the increase in Ireland, and has included threats of physical and sexual violence against them and their families, a study has found.

Current and former female members of the Oireachtas and councillors from all major political parties were interviewed for the NUI Galway study, carried out by a team from the Journalism and Communication discipline.

The appointment of only four senior female Cabinet Ministers is a “missed opportunity” directly linked to the lack of women candidates put forward in winnable seats across the State, women’s rights groups have said.

Women still face systemic barriers in politics, said Ciairín de Buis, chief executive of Women for Election: “It is disappointing that once again a Government has missed the opportunity to appoint a balanced Cabinet.

A TD says she left her home for a week after getting threatening phone calls in the middle of the night.

It is one of a number of instances of abuse against female politicians, including death and rape threats.

The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) has highlighted the abuse as one of the many issues providing a barrier to women entering politics.

A women’s rights group will today, 9 June, launch a €35,000 crowdfunding plan to help female candidates in future elections after accusing the Government of failing to do enough to address the issue.

The Women for Election group says the public money is needed just 24 hours after Dáil Ceann Comhairle Sean O’Fearghail publicly backed local election gender quotas as a “pragmatic” step that must be taken.

Why does a lower proportion of women get elected than stand for election? That was a key question posed at a meeting held in Dublin to discuss the barriers facing women entering politics, in the wake of the recent local elections.