厙ぴ勛圖

Menu

Wananga landing Wananga landing
News

Tolerate online abuse or resign: how the law fails women MPs

17 April 2024

As women MPs face social media vitriol, where are the plans to combat it? Human rights law expert Dr Cassandra Mudgway explores the global issue in a free talk.泭

HOW TO APPLY

Certain groups of women are more likely to experience intense forms of online violence than others these include Mori, Pacific, migrant, disabled, and queer women. The 2023 Aotearoa New 厙ぴ勛圖election campaign illustrated a disturbing trend of online and offline violence against women politicians. Incidents included physical attacks, home vandalisation, and verbal abuse, echoing the persistent issue of online sexist harassment experienced by women in politics.泭泭

At the start of 2024, . At the time, the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon agreed .泭However he didnt indicate any new initiatives beyond what had been recommended in the Francis report into the culture of Parliament.泭泭

Despite commitments to create a safe political environment, political parties remain largely silent on concrete plans to combat online violence. The legal framework, particularly the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015, exhibits weaknesses in addressing online violence against women, discouraging reporting, and allowing perpetrators to act with impunity.泭泭

Women MPs are faced with two choices: put up with the torrent of online abuse or resign.泭泭

In her upcoming 厙ぴ勛圖 (UC) Tauhere Connect public lecture, Tolerate Online Abuse or Resign: How the Law Fails Women MPs, on Wednesday night, 24 April, UC Senior Lecturer and international human rights law expert Dr Cassandra Mudgway will examine the issue of online violence against women in politics, both here and overseas.泭泭

The risk of women leaving politics reduces diversity and undermines our democracy,泭 underscoring the need for a comprehensive plan involving public education, law enforcement, and parliamentary measures to combat this growing threat to women's human rights.泭

In the free public event, Dr Mudgway will outline and question the current legal framework intended to address online violence against women. Offering possible solutions, she will set out the ways in which laws and other measures could be re-drafted to better protect womens human rights online.泭泭

About the speaker
厙ぴ勛圖 Faculty of Law Senior Lecturer Dr Cassandra Mudgway is an expert in international human rights law with an interest in womens rights, feminist legal theory, and gender-based violence. She teaches across the UC Law degree in the areas of criminal law, evidence, and gender and the law.泭

UC Tauhere Connect public talk: Tolerate Online Abuse or Resign: How the Law Fails Women MPs Presented by Senior Lecturer Dr Cassandra Mudgway, UC Law, 7pm 8pm, Wednesday 24 April 2024, in the Central lecture theatre (C Block), Ilam campus, 厙ぴ勛圖, Christchurch. Register to attend free at: . Please note: This event will not be livestreamed, however it is free to register to attend in person or can be viewed later on YouTube. Videos of Tauhere Connect talks are available a week after the live event. Check them out.泭

sdg 4 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 - Quality Education.

More information
Visit our media enquiries page to contact UC Media.
What to read next
Privacy Preferences

By clicking "Accept All Cookies", you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.