Anna-Karin Hatt has quit as leader of Sweden’s Centre party after just five months. She pointed to increasing hate and threats as primary factors for her exit. Her resignation is a wake-up call to a bad trend. Higher levels of intimidation are forcing women from public life, particularly in political spaces. Her Research Statistics show that 32.7% of women say they feel unsafe, compared to just 24% of men.
Her resignation occurs amid a frightening atmosphere, in which women in elected office experience heightened threats. Maybe it’s not surprising that a whopping 26.3% of female elected representatives experienced threats and harassment over the last year. This was the case for only 23.6% of male elected representatives. These frightening numbers highlight the need for immediate action to keep women safe and allow them to work in, and contribute to, our democracy.
Sandra Håkansson is a postdoctoral researcher at Uppsala University, researching the intersections of gender, politics, and political violence. She notes that women often refuse to speak out on these dangerous topics due to the risks they endure. “A big part of the problem is that we have for far too long accepted violations in digital environments,” she stated, emphasizing the role social media plays in exacerbating hostility.
Yet the political climate in Sweden has soured to the high heavens. This change was heartbreakingly illustrated with the murder of Ing-Marie Wieselgren in 2019, a crime that outraged and rocked the country. A man was convicted for planning to assassinate Annie Lööf. Legal precedent This case underscores the peril women in positions of power and authority still experience. Former MP Amineh Kakabaveh has similarly been under police protection for threats against her life. As a woman with a foreign background, Kakabaveh risks compounded, from racist attacks to threats in her case from Turkic radical groups.
Sweden’s Minister for Gender Equality, Nina Larsson, stated that she was deeply alarmed by the impact of such threats on democratic participation and governance. “When women are scared away from politics or silenced, both democracy and free debate are damaged,” she asserted. Larsson called for more accountability from society to fight hate and threats that are targeted against women.
Line Säll, head of unit at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, highlighted how serious the crisis is. She noted that each intimidation campaign against women is an enormous step backwards for gender equality in Sweden. “Every single woman who is threatened represents a democratic deficit and an obstacle to the gender equality Sweden has fought for over many years,” Säll explained. She called for a “clear political focus from everyone that wants to live in a democracy,” underscoring the importance of concerted efforts to address these issues.
Behind the numbers lies a disturbing picture. A shocking 31.5% of people of foreign descent experience a sense of threat, while only 24.1% of Swedish-origin individuals report the same. This gap is indicative of the reality that marginalized communities face higher levels of anxiety and intimidation. Consequence of this, their access to public discourse is made that much more difficult.
Hatt’s resignation struck a chord with many in the political sphere. Hatt provided the perspective on what it’s like to always be looking over your shoulder and never feeling truly safe, not even in your own house. I’m actually impacted by it in a much deeper way than I ever assumed I would,” he shared, noting the psychological impact of living under siege.
In her public statement, Minister of Enterprise and Innovation Annie Lööf graciously recognized Hatt’s decision, saying, “I also understand the reality that she describes. I know how it is.” This feeling is emblematic of a larger recognition happening in political spaces of the struggle women experience.
As discussions around these issues continue, Håkansson’s insights highlight the importance of addressing the underlying causes of fear among female politicians. She also pushes for stronger protections around women’s voices in political spaces. There’s so much more that needs to be done. Especially to shield women who are at greater risk than men,” she said.