Online abuse drives young women out of Swiss politics, study finds

Women are far more likely to face attacks linked to their gender, the University of Basel explained on Monday. Keystone-SDA

A University of Basel study has found that young women in Swiss politics are more likely to face gender-based attacks and that this often drives them out of the political arena.

According to the study, young politicians in Switzerland face online abuse at similar rates. But the nature of the hostility varies sharply depending on whether the target is a woman or a man.

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Women are far more likely to face attacks linked to their gender, the University of Basel explained on MondayExternal link. These often include sexist or sexualised comments, as well as derogatory remarks about their looks or political skills.

This type of abuse has a particularly strong impact on women’s motivation to stay in politics, according to a University of Basel survey of Swiss youth party members. Young women were far more likely than men to say that personal experiences of online hate had hindered their political work or even pushed them to quit altogether.

Women discouraged even before standing for office

“Many women are put off before they even get the chance to stand for office,” says Daniel Höhmann, the study’s lead author, in a University of Basel press release.

The study was published in the Journal of Women, Politics & Policy. Researchers surveyed 175 young members of Swiss youth parties. They note that while participation was relatively low, the sample included representatives from all major political camps. As a result, it reflects the ideological make-up of Swiss youth parties – though not necessarily their gender balance or all politically engaged young people in Switzerland.

Translated from German with DeepL/sp

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