Abuse and intimidation are commonly experienced by women politicians and electoral candidates and is deterring women from political participation.
MPs will discuss this at the upcoming Westminster Hall debate on ‘Online abuse of elected women representatives’, on Tuesday 20 April, which has been secured by Rt Hon Maria Miller MP.
See our briefing for the debate here.
Write to your MP!
We need your help to ensure as many MPs as possible speak in the debate to highlight just how endemic this issue is and put pressure on the government to address this.
Please use the template below to write to your MP. You can find out who your MP is and contact them here.
Dear [insert MP name here]
I am writing to urge you to encourage you to participate in the upcoming Westminster Hall debate on ‘Online abuse of elected women representatives’, on Tuesday 20 April (from 9.25am and for 90 minutes), which has been secured by Rt Hon Maria Miller MP.
Only 34% of MPs and just 35% of local councillors in England and Wales are women. We need more women in all our diversity at every level of politics.
Abuse and intimidation are commonly experienced by women politicians, which poses a threat to democracy and equal participation.
69% of women who have taken part in Equal Power training (440 women completed the survey) said abuse or harassment from the public or other parties was a barrier to pursuing a political career and seeking election.
Please find more information in Centenary Action’s briefing click here.
As my elected representative I am urging you to take part in the debate and make clear that more must be done to address online abuse against women representatives.
If you can’t take part in the debate, please do share this with colleagues who may be able to.
While the debate may not be officially confirmed until Wednesday, Members can still put in to speak for the debate. The deadline for this is 1pm, Monday 19th April.
Many thanks,
[insert name and postcode]