Press Release: Thursday 7th November

General Election Candidate Safety Guidance Launched

Women for Election today circulated ‘Safety Guidance for Candidates in Elections’ to candidates in the forthcoming General Election.

Produced by An Garda Síochána, Women for Election and See Her Elected, the Guidance booklet, updated for the General Election, provides information to candidates and their campaign teams on staying safe both in-person and online during the election campaign.

“Most candidates, most of the time, have respectful interactions with members of the public on the doors, at events and hustings and online, even when their political viewpoints are very different”, said Brian Sheehan, CEO of Women for Election.

“However, candidates also experience interactions that can be intimidating or threatening. Women candidates and those from minority backgrounds including people of colour or LGBTQ+ candidates face a disproportionate level of harassment and abuse, particularly online.

“This Guidance will help candidates and their campaign teams to engage safely with voters and it outlines what steps to take when candidates face unacceptable behaviour, in person or online.”

There has been extensive engagement and cooperation with An Gardá Síochána in preparing the Guidance. An Garda Síochána have appointed Liaison Inspectors in each division nationwide to help keep those participating in the elections safe while campaigning, and Garda Divisional Crime Prevention Officers are available to help with personal safety. The Guidance details how to contact the Gardaí to report any incidents and how to report online abuse or harassment.

“Political debate and the exchange of diverse political views are key parts of election campaigns. But increasingly, disagreement crosses a line to behaviours that are not acceptable, both online and in-person. Civility in political debate and dialogue is essential if we want an environment where more women and people from minority groups feel safe running for election and serving their communities as elected representatives.

“Women for Election encourage all candidates to report all unacceptable behaviour, whether to the online platforms or to the Gardaí. The Guidelines have links to social media reporting channels and details of Garda reporting and support mechanisms” concluded Sheehan.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Katie Deegan, Women for Election:  Katie@womenforelection.ie

Editors Notes:

The guide ‘Safety Guidelines for Candidates in Elections’ is available here.