The head of Northern Ireland’s Electoral Commission, Cahir Hughes, has stated that it would be “damaging to democracy” if women do not feel safe to campaign or take part in elections. Hughes emphasized the importance of the participation of women in the upcoming UK general election on July 4th, stating that “we’d be a poorer society if women did not feel safe.” A recent report by the commission highlighted that half of the 807 candidates running in the May 2023 local elections in Northern Ireland reported experiencing threats, abuse, or intimidation. The report also discovered that female candidates were more likely than their male counterparts to have experienced harassment.
The report by the Electoral Commission showed that an increasing number of candidates are reporting experiences of harassment and abuse on the streets while campaigning, and particularly through social media channels. In addition to online abuse accounting for 26% of reports, other reported incidents related to intimidation, harassment, or assault linked to campaigning. Hughes stated that “female participation in politics generally is lower” and called on all candidates and campaigners to report any incidents to the police.
According to the commission, almost 200 incidents were reported to the police in the previous year’s elections, the majority of which related to the theft, removal, or damage of election posters. Therefore, Hughes has called on the wider public and the electoral community to consider how their behaviors impact campaigning and what the long-term consequences of such actions could be.
The Electoral Commission has been working closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland over the last 12 months, jointly issuing guidance on how to campaign safely. Hughes noted that some of the abuse against candidates is illegal, and as such, it can have serious consequences, whether on the street or on social media. Therefore, he emphasized that shouting abuse or posting abusive tweets may seem like harmless fun, but it can seriously impact those who choose to do so. Nominations for the general election close on Friday
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