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Some parliamentarians told the researchers that they would have reconsidered to assume the role if they knew about abuse levels.
Photo: RNZ / SAMUEL RILLSTONE
A new research article found that misogyny and racism are spread in policy harassment, their employees and their families.
This occurs when the Minister of Justice is receiving advice on changes in laws to better protect publicly elected employees, especially in their homes.
Researchers at the University of Otago interviewed 11 deputies throughout the political division in 2023, who reported being assaulted with weapons, threatened with rape and subjected to death threats.
One deputy said he received “deeply, deeply vile” abuse, including a threat to cut his throat, while another told the researchers. “[threats of] Rape is thrown all the time. “
Two parliamentarians said they were beaten with weapons, while another reported having a fake weapon – which she believed to be real – destined to her closely.
The research, led by psychiatry registrars Dr. Rhiannon Watson and Dr. Lucy Hammans, is based on a previous survey of male and female parliamentarians published last year.
Watson said the threats of physical and sexual violence became common for female parliamentarians, with parliamentarians reporting being threatened personally by telephone, online on social media and and emails.
Hammans said misogyny was ubiquitous in the harassment of female deputies, who also directed his employees and families, and was even more complicated by racism for some.
The levels of harassment increased when women reached more senior positions and when they were in government and not in opposition roles, according to the survey.
One deputy commented: “There is no doubt that he has the purpose of absolutely preventing us from doing our work and being deputies … is absolutely directed to expel us.”
The research article said many parliamentarians reported comments about their appearance, challenges to their competence because they were female and being called ‘slut’ and ‘bitch’.
Among the longtime parliamentarians, two said the abuse contributed to their decision to retire, while others thought they would have reconsidered to take the role if they knew what they knew now.
The senior author of the research document, Professor Susanna Every-Palmer, said that the psychosocial impact of harassment of women’s parliamentarians was considerable and, at worst, associated with flashbacks and thoughts of suicide.
Gender -based harassment was having a deep impact on parliamentarians, challenging representation on politics and the fabric of democracy, she said.
All-Palmer said that a “multifaceted response” was needed that included establishing a central organ to monitor and coordinate the response to abuse and develop guidelines on police and parliamentarians abuse.
It also recommended New Zealand’s legislation on on -line violence, the harmful digital communications law needed to be updated, as it specified individual comments should cause serious emotional suffering and demanded that the police show that the aggressor intends to cause damage.
New legislation was also required that requires social media providers to address and avoid on -line abuse, supported by a robust execution regime, she said.
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