Threats of sexual violence, death and racist comments have forced quite a number of female members of the British Parliament to quit lately. Several women members of parliament (MP) have recently decided not to run for election citing reasons like abuse, threats and a culture of intimidation towards them. More than 20 female parliamentarians have reported that they won’t be running for election to be held on December 12. Heidi Allen, a Member of Parliament and one of those who have decided to quit, says, “I am exhausted by the invasion into my privacy and the nastiness and intimidation that has become commonplace. Nobody in any job should have to put up with threats, aggressive emails, being shouted at in the street, sworn at on social media, nor have to install panic alarms at home”. She is one of those twenty female parliamentarians who have decided not to take part in the elections and has explained her constituents why she will not be on the ballot. Women’s Rights activists of the country fear that these series of events could stop women from entering national politics, reversing a trend that had brought the proportion of female lawmakers in the House of Commons to an all-time high of 32 percent. Caroline Spelman, a Conservative lawmaker is stepping down after 22 years in Parliament and she says, “Sexually charged rhetoric has been prevalent in the online abuse of female MPs, with threats to rape us and referring to us by our genitalia. It is therefore not surprising that so many good female colleagues have decided to stand down at this election”. 72 female members of the Parliament have recently signed a letter of solidarity to the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan to look into this matter.
