FEMALE politicians in Fermanagh have said they ‘won’t be silenced’, as they speak out on the high level of sexist abuse they receive online.
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLAs, Áine Murphy and Jemma Dolan, recently shared some of the hate messages posted on their online platforms.
One of those messages stated the elected representatives were a ‘pair of tramps’.
“This is just one example of the sexist abuse that female MLAs face all too often,” explained Ms Murphy.
“Jemma [Dolan] and I were elected by our communities to represent them and no amount of abuse or disrespect will stop us from doing that. We won’t be silenced and we won’t be shouted down.”
Siobhan Currie, a former Fermanagh and Omagh District councillor, condemned the abuse directed towards the MLAs.
“The endless trolling from people apparently with nothing better to do shouldn’t be something anyone has to put up with,” Ms Currie said.
“Keep up the good work Áine, Jemma and all the women who put themselves forward.”
It comes weeks after female politicians throughout the North have called for new legislation to be brought forward in a bid to curb the rise in online abuse.
According to the Northern Ireland Local Government Association, over three quarters of councillors have been subjected to abuse or intimidation.
Two thirds of those females said the abuse was directed to them on online platforms.
A number of female politicians, including Northern Ireland Justice Minister, Naomi Long, has called for action against the torrent of online abuse.
“They look at the abuse I get, then they think, well, I’m not sure I want to have that abuse. I’m not sure I want my family and friends subjected to this kind of abuse,” Ms Long previously told UTV News.
“And so I think it is an impediment. And I also think if we don’t call it out, it becomes normalized.”