Online abuse of public figures is an ugly monster with many tentacles, the worst of which seem to be reserved for female politicians. It won鈥檛 be easy, but we need to find ways to curb the spread of this vile cancer.
All politicians are subjected to online abuse, but males and females are not treated the same. It鈥檚 the age-old problem 鈥� a man is assertive but a woman is a pushy broad; that sort of thing 鈥� but on the Internet, the nastiness is magnified a thousand times. No longer are the snipers from the underbrush content to be condescending and demeaning, they revel in sexualized, violent, personal attacks.
The Alberta government is providing security for Calgary MLA Sandra Jansen in the wake of online threats she received after bowing out of the Progressive Conservative leadership race and crossing the floor to join the NDP government last month.
Jansen stood in the Alberta legislature and cited examples of the messages she had received, among them: 鈥淲hat a traitorous bitch,鈥� and 鈥淪andra should stay in the kitchen where she belongs.鈥�
鈥淟et us be strong and clear in our resolve that no matter where we sit along political lines, we stand together against this,鈥� Jansen said.
Her remarks brought a standing ovation, even from her former PC caucus mates.
Female MPs face a constant barrage of sexism, observed Alberta Conservative MP Michelle Rempel in a commentary written recently for the National Post.
鈥淭he everyday sexism I face involves confronting the 鈥榖itch鈥� epithet when I don鈥檛 automatically comply with someone鈥檚 request or capitulate on my position on an issue, confronting assumptions that I have got to my station in life by (insert your choice of sexual act) with (insert your choice of man in position of authority), enduring speculation and value judgments about my fertility, and responding to commentary that links my appearance to my competency,鈥� she wrote.
Female leaders from coast to coast, from B.C. Premier Christy Clark to Newfoundland and Labrador Finance Minister Cathy Bennett, are regularly subjected to demeaning, derogatory abuse. But it would be wrong to see this as a merely a women鈥檚 problem 鈥� an Australian study indicates that at least three-quarters of the online abuse comes from men.
Confront your sexism, Rempel tells men. 鈥淏ottom line, I shouldn鈥檛 have to mentor the young women on my staff with tips and tricks to combat sexism,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 truly 2016, sexism should be your problem to deal with, not simply ours.鈥�
The nastiness can turn deadly. In the U.K., Labour MP Jo Cox was fatally shot and stabbed outside a library in June. For months, she had reported malicious harassment on social media to police.
One Labour MP in the U.K. told police she had received a threat to kill her children and grandchildren because of her stance on the European Union referendum. Another Labour MP said she had been the target of more than 600 rape threats in one night.
While prominent people are often targets, we should not forget the too many vulnerable people who have been subjected to social-media shaming to the extent they have taken their own lives.
It will not be easy to stem this poisonous tide, but when the invective crosses the line from unpleasant to violent, those who originate the abuse should be prosecuted, as well as those who assist in the spreading abusive messages. Social-media platforms should also be held responsible.
Freedom of expression is vital, but it should not be used to disguise hate crimes.
