Rising levels of hate forcing women out of Swedish public life, says equality agency

Hate crimes against female politicians in Sweden have reached alarming levels, forcing many into silence and self-censorship, the Swedish government's equality agency has warned. The rising tide of hate is having a chilling effect on public debate and ultimately on legislation, say experts.

Since October, several high-profile women have quit their posts due to harassment, threats, and intimidation. Anna-Karin Hatt, leader of the Centre party, was one of them. She cited constant fear for her safety and the need to "look over her shoulder" as she made her decision.

The issue is particularly acute among younger women, who feel a deep-seated vulnerability in public office. Line Säll, head of unit at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, said that this climate was scaring away many groups from engaging in politics. She warned that if women continue to be silenced and intimidated, it poses a "big threat against democracy".

Researcher Sandra Håkansson noted that far-right policies had become more mainstream, leading to a chilling effect on public debate. She cited immigration policy as an example where women's views were often marginalized.

Describing hate crimes as an "occupational hazard" for female politicians, Håksson said that Anna-Karin Hatt's resignation raised serious concerns. The data reveals that 26.3% of female elected representatives reported being exposed to threats and harassment in 2025, compared to 23.6% of men.

The agency has called for a "clear culture change" around online behavioural norms, with social media companies taking greater responsibility for stopping hate and threats. Nina Larsson, Sweden's minister for gender equality, said that the government had taken action but more needed to be done, particularly to protect women who are more vulnerable than men.

The statistics paint a worrying picture of a country where women are being intimidated from speaking out on important issues. As one former politician noted, "within the power structures there are parties like the Sweden Democrats, who promote traditional values rooted in a historically male-dominated culture".

Ugh this is so sad , female politicians deserve to be safe , not constantly on edge . It's like they're walking on eggshells everywhere they go , can't even have a convo without being yelled at or threatened . The stats are insane 26.3% of women getting threats and harassment , that's like half the number of men . We need to do better , social media companies gotta step up their game and governments need to create laws protecting them . Can't let hate crimes silence women's voices , we need more female leaders .

its so depressing to see female politicians getting bullied online they need protection ASAP i feel like if more people speak out against it then maybe social media companies will take action and we can start having real conversations about immigration policies without being scared of being attacked

This is really scary , I mean think about it, women politicians can't even speak up without being threatened or harassed . It's like they're living in fear all the time. And it's not just them, it's affecting the whole society, because if no one speaks out, nothing gets done . I feel so sorry for Anna-Karin Hatt, she's really brave to speak up about this . We need to change our culture, especially online , where people can say and do whatever they want without any consequences . The government is doing something, but it's not enough .

I'm so worried about the state of politics in Sweden right now . It's just not safe for women to speak up and express their opinions without fear of being targeted. I think it's amazing that Anna-Karin Hatt is speaking out about her experiences, even if it means stepping down from her role . We need more women in power who can bring different perspectives and ideas to the table .

I'm also really frustrated with the fact that social media companies aren't doing enough to stop hate speech and online harassment . It's not okay for people to be targeted just because they have a different opinion or identity. We need to create a culture where everyone feels welcome and respected, regardless of their views .

I'm keeping an eye on this situation and hoping that the Swedish government can take real action to address these issues . We need to protect women's rights and ensure that everyone has a safe and inclusive space to participate in public discourse .

OMG, I'm literally shocked by these stats ! 26.3% of female politicians being exposed to threats and harassment is just insane . It's like they're walking on eggshells all the time . I mean, what's happening in Sweden right now? It's like the whole country is being taken over by toxic masculinity . And it's not just the politicians themselves, but also the parties that are perpetuating this culture of fear .

I think it's so important for social media companies to step up and take responsibility for their role in spreading hate speech online . It's like they're just enabling these trolls to keep spewing hate . And what really grinds my gears is that women are being silenced because of this toxic culture . Like, we need more female voices speaking out on the issues, not less!

The fact that researchers are saying it's a "chilling effect" on public debate is just so true . If we can't even discuss important issues without being threatened or intimidated, then what's the point? I think the Swedish government needs to do more than just take action - they need to fundamentally change their culture and values . We need a society where women feel safe to speak out, not afraid to be silenced .

it's so crazy that female politicians in Sweden are having to quit because of hate crimes... i mean, shouldn't they be able to speak their minds without fear of being targeted? the stats on threats and harassment are super concerning - 26.3% of female reps reported it in 2025?! that's like, almost a third of them! and it's not just online either, i've seen articles where people have actually shown up at politicians' homes and offices... scariest thing ever

Ugh I'm so worried about these female politicians in Sweden They're literally being bullied and intimidated into silence because of their gender. It's crazy that they feel like they have to be constantly on edge just to do their job. 26.3% of female reps are getting threats and harassment, which is insane!

I get that far-right policies can be divisive, but come on, who wants to see women marginalized from having a say in politics? It's like they're being silenced because their opinions aren't considered "mainstream". That's not how democracy works, right?

The government needs to do more than just take action, they need to actually make a change. Like, social media companies should be held accountable for letting hate speech spread so easily online .

It's not just about the politicians, it's about the impact on the country as a whole. If women are too scared to speak out, how can we expect them to drive positive change? It's like they're being bullied into silence and that's not okay.

I'm literally shocked by these numbers! 26.3% of female politicians getting threatened and harassed? That's crazy! It's like they're walking into a minefield just for doing their job. I mean, what's the point of having politics if people can't even have an opinion without being bullied or intimidated? And it's not just the politicians themselves who are affected, but also their families and loved ones who get caught in the crossfire .

We need to start taking a hard look at our societal norms and online behavior. I mean, come on guys! Can't we all just coexist peacefully? Social media companies need to step up their game and take responsibility for policing hate speech and threats. It's not that hard to create a safe space for people to express themselves without fear of retribution .

And what really gets me is how this affects the democratic process as a whole. If women are too scared to speak out, who will represent the voices of those who need representation? We can't just sit back and watch our democracy be eroded by hate and intolerance. We need to do something about it NOW!

omg this is insane what's going on in Sweden?? female politicians should be able to speak out without fear of being silenced or harassed its so unfair that they have to quit their jobs because of it. i feel like we're taking a huge step back in terms of equality and democracy. social media companies need to do more to stop hate speech and online harassment, its not just the government's responsibility, its on all of us

Ugh, I'm literally so done with this ! Women can't even be themselves online without being harassed and threatened by people who clearly have no idea what's right or wrong. It's not just these high-profile politicians either, it's every single woman out there who tries to speak up on important issues but is constantly walking on eggshells . Like, come on guys, if you're going to be mad about something, at least have the decency to be civil and respectful . And can we please talk about how social media companies are just sitting back and letting this happen? Like, what's the point of having a platform if you're not going to use it to protect people from hate and abuse? It's time for some serious change around here, folks!

It's mind-blowing to think about how much it takes for people, especially women, to take risks and step into positions of power. When you consider that 26.3% of female elected representatives reported being exposed to threats and harassment, it makes me wonder what kind of world we're living in . Is it any wonder that they'd feel like looking over their shoulder all the time? It's like, when did becoming a leader become an act of courage rather than just plain survival? I mean, can't we find ways to make politics a safer space for everyone, especially those who are more vulnerable? It's not about changing policies or laws overnight, but creating a culture shift that allows people to feel empowered to speak out without fear of reprisal. That's what worries me...

it's about time someone called out these toxic dudes who think they can silence women with hate speech and harassment . Like, no wonder they're scared to speak up about important issues when they know their words can be twisted and turned into hate . And seriously, 26.3% of female reps getting threats? That's wild . Can't we just have a civil conversation without the haters ruining it all ? The fact that social media companies aren't doing enough to stop this BS is just another layer of salt on top . Maybe it's time for them to step up and show some real leadership ?

I'm getting so worried for all these female politicians in Sweden . I mean, it's crazy that they're having to quit their jobs because of hate crimes and threats. It's not just them, but the impact it has on public debate and legislation is huge. I can imagine how scary it must be for them to have to look over their shoulder every time they want to speak out about something important.

And it's not just the politicians who are affected, but also young women who want to get involved in politics . They're already feeling vulnerable and now this climate of hate is scaring them away from even trying. It's like, how can we expect to have a healthy democracy if we're not allowing everyone to participate?

I think it's so important for social media companies to take responsibility for stopping hate and threats online . We need to create a culture where women feel safe speaking out without fear of intimidation or harassment. And I agree with the government that more needs to be done, especially for those who are most vulnerable.

This is just not acceptable in our society . We need to stand together and support these women politicians who are willing to take risks to speak out on important issues. It's time for us to demand a better future where everyone can participate without fear of hate or intimidation

I'm not surprised to hear that Swedish politicians are getting scared off by hate crimes ... I mean, who wouldn't want to be in office when someone is trying to silence them? It's not like they're dealing with actual policy issues or anything... just trivial stuff like immigration and equality . And 26.3% of female reps feeling threatened? That's just peachy, can we get some selfies from these brave ladies before they back down . The government's all like "clear culture change" but I'm sure that'll be a total game-changer... not .