Addressing online violence in our democracies – promoting equality in Commonwealth Parliaments
A toxic online environment is a threat to all Commonwealth democracies. It threatens our values and undermines our people’s freedom and choices.
Workplace violence in any context is unacceptable, including that faced by journalists and media who are crucial to protecting freedom and democracy. We also condemn rising violence and aggression towards all frontline workers, including health and retail workers.
There are more than 6000 women parliamentarians across 180 State and Federal Parliaments in Commonwealth countries.
We know that in Australia and the UK women parliamentarians are three times more likely to report receiving sexualised or gender-based threats, online and in person, than men in parliament.
And in the UK and Australia, elected representatives have been killed or injured for doing their jobs, out in their communities.