Female Politicians Have to Be ‘Hyper-Bigilant’ and Constantly Monitor Their Safety Due to Gender-Based Abuse - 03/07/2026

A startling new report has revealed the scale of abuse faced by female politicians in Ireland, with almost every woman surveyed saying they have experienced online harassment during their time in public office.The research, carried out by Women for Election as part of an EU-wide project, found that 96% of female TDs and Senators have been subjected to online abuse, while many have also received threatening messages and sexually explicit or demeaning content. Almost half said the abuse has changed the way they work in their constituencies, with many becoming more cautious about public engagements and canvassing.Campaigners say the findings raise serious concerns about the impact of gender-based abuse on democracy and on women's willingness to enter and remain in public life.Chair of the Women's Parliamentary Caucus and Louth Fianna Fáil Senator Alison Comyn joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.