Sexual harassment in Town Halls


Sexism is commonplace in local government with almost four in 10 female councillors having experienced sexist comments from within their own party, according to the Local Government Commission.


The commission, which last month released interim findings of the year-long study led by the Fawcett Society, found that one in 10 female councillors have experienced sexual harassment from other councillors.


Dame Margaret Hodge, co-chair of the commission, said: “We are seeing a culture in some parts of local government which would not be out of place in the 1970s.


“This in turn is linked to the under-representation of women in local government where we have seen very little progress over the past 20 years.”


The survey of over 2,300 councillors also found that a third of women councillors have experienced sexist comments in the council chamber and 43% say they are held back by assumptions about what they can do just because they are women.


Fawcett’s chief executive Sam Smethers said: “Women councillors from all major parties are reporting sexism and sexual harassment from within their own parties and from other councillors. This problem is not confined to one party, and is commonplace across local government.


“We are sadly used to hearing about the misogyny our politicians experience from the public via social media, but this research shows that they are also experiencing it from within their own parties, including their male council colleagues.”


www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Does-Local-Government-Work-for-Women-Interim-Report-April-2017.pdf