Gendered harassment against young politicians

In light of an increasing empirical and theoretical focus on the intersectional character of as well as explanations and consequences of harassment, intimidation and violence towards candidates and elected representatives, this paper explores how harassment against younger politicians is gendered in motives, forms and impacts. In a mix method approach, the empirical basis consist of both quantitative analyses of surveys among candidates at Danish municipal elections in 2021 (n = 3,968) and national elections in 2022 (n = 326) and 23 qualitative interviews with young women and men politicians from the Copenhagen City Council and the Danish Parliament. Perpetrators use gender norms to harass women. Women candidates are more likely to experience both sexual and psychological harassment, and age is negatively correlated with experience of all types of harassment. Moreover, only women politicians experience rape threats, reproductive harassment, sexual objectification and disqualification. Contrary to expectations, the impact of harassment does not seem gendered. While experiences of harassment correlate negatively with the feeling to speak freely on all topics, a gender difference is not found in the surveys, nor are women and men themselves describing being affected differently. However, because women are more likely to experience harassment, women will experience the impacts of harassment relatively more often. In conclusion, the paper discusses how the gendered forms of harassment, intimidation and against young politicians in Denmark may harm the descriptive and substantive representation of young people in general, and women in particular.