澳大利亚女性政治家正面临日益严重的网络和线下骚扰问题。非党派组织Women for Election的研究显示，近90%的女性政治家经历过性别化的网络骚扰，其中超过半数因此重新考虑是否继续担任公职。[1]这项研究基于对110名现任及有志于公职的女性政治家的调查，涵盖联邦、州和地方三个政府层级。[1]
女性政治家遭遇的骚扰形式多样且日趋恶劣。政治家Tanya Higgins被贬低为"肥胖愚蠢的金发女郎"，甚至其子女也在网络上听到了针对母亲的谩骂。[1]NSW农业部长Tara Moriarty在发布关于野猪管理计划的公告后收到暴力威胁，已向警方报案。[1]反对党领袖Kellie Sloane因批评新纳粹抗议活动而收到暴力威胁，最终停用了其X账户。[1]
针对女性的骚扰与针对男性政治家的骚扰存在质的差异。研究人员Licia Heath指出，针对女性的滥用更具个人化、性别化和色情化特征，来自多文化背景、LGBTQ+社群和年轻女性政治家的骚扰尤为严重。[1]与此同时，人工智能技术正在加速骚扰的传播，深度伪造和内容操纵被用于针对女性政治家。[1]
Female politicians across Australia are enduring widespread campaigns of gender-based harassment both online and offline, with research revealing the profound toll this abuse takes on their willingness to serve in public office.[1] Research by the non-partisan organization Women for Election, based on interviews with 110 current and prospective female politicians across all three levels of government, found that nearly 90 percent of female political leaders have experienced gender-based online harassment.[1] More than half of those surveyed are reconsidering whether to continue in public office.[1]
The harassment extends far beyond conventional name-calling. Tanya Higgins, an Australian female politician, has been subjected to derogatory terms like "fat dumb blonde," with her children exposed to such abuse directed at their mother online.[1] Last Boxing Day, Higgins's home was broken into by an intruder.[1] NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty received violent threats following a public announcement about a wild pig management plan, prompting her to report the matter to police.[1] Opposition leader Kellie Sloane deactivated her X account after receiving violent threats in response to her criticism of neo-Nazi protests.[1] Heidi Lee Douglas faced concentrated harassment and disinformation campaigns from community members during her 2021 local government campaign.[1]
According to Licia Heath, the abuse targeting women is distinctly more personal, gendered, and sexualized than that directed at male politicians.[1] Women from multicultural backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals, and younger female politicians experience particularly severe harassment.[1] Artificial intelligence has accelerated the pace of such abuse, while deepfakes and manipulated content are increasingly weaponized against female political leaders.[1]