2nd Expert Forum on Local Politics: Together Against Online Hate

Anyone active in the public sphere is exposed to insults, hatred, or online firestorms. As part of the "Action Program Municipality - Women in Politics" project, an online event will be held on March 30, 2023, to explore strategies and methods for dealing with hate speech.

In 2021, the Federal Criminal Police Office recorded more than 4,400 crimes against public officials and elected representatives in preliminary statistics—three times more than in 2017. Politically active women, in particular, are becoming targets, and these attacks often aim to ridicule, marginalize, or even silence these women and their perspectives entirely. Especially when their physical safety, lives, or families are threatened, their sense of security is lost. The targeted politicians become increasingly hesitant to express their opinions, avoid certain topics, and limit ways for people to contact them. Some no longer feel able to enter politics under these circumstances, while others withdraw, decide not to run for office, or resign from their positions.

About the event

• But what can effective strategies for dealing with hate and harassment look like?
• Where can women in the public eye find advice, contact points, and support in an emergency?
• And which moderation and de-escalation methods can you apply yourself?

We will address these questions at our 2nd Expert Forum on Local Politics as part of the "Action Program Municipality – Women in Politics!" under the theme "Together Against Online Hate and Its Consequences." You can look forward to a presentation on "Female, Political, and Threatened Online – De-escalation and Self-Protection for Digital Civil Courage" by Juliane Chakrabarti. She is a board member of the association ichbinhier e.V, which raises awareness about online hate and supports individuals and institutions in all areas of society in arming themselves against hate speech. A discussion will follow the presentation. If you have any specific questions in advance, you can submit them anonymously when you register for the event.

Further information and registration

• Thursday, March 30, 2023
• 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM
• via Zoom
• Registration is open until 28/03/2023: https://www.frauen-in-die-politik.com/news/fachforum2

More about the project

Over a four-year period, the program pursues the key gender equality goal of sustainably increasing the proportion of women in local leadership positions and on municipal, city, and district councils. This work is being carried out in two cycles, each involving ten selected model regions, with a particular focus on rural areas.

Funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, the program is implemented by EAF Berlin as the lead project partner in collaboration with the German Rural Women's Association.