Stalking and death threats among abuse suffered by Cheshire East councillors

A survey's been carried out into the experiences of abuse, suffered by Cheshire east councillors.

Here are the findings:

76% of respondents rarely or never felt at risk personally when fulfilling their roles as Councillors, while 24% frequently or occasionally felt at risk.

Female respondents were more likely to feel at risk personally when fulfilling their roles, as Councillors either frequently or occasionally (41% female Vs 4% male).

13% of respondents frequently experience abuse, intimidation or harassment in their role as Councillors, with a further 36% occasionally experiencing this.

35% of respondents had considered leaving their role as a Councillor, because of incidents of abuse, intimidation or harassment.

Increasing levels of harassment

43% of respondents felt the volume of abuse, intimidation or harassment had increased in the last 12 months, with reasons given for why it had increased, including:

• Social media toxicity

• Public frustration with council decisions, financial cuts, and service provision

• Political negativity and criticism, particularly from those with opposing views

• A lack of consequences for being abusive

Format of the harassment

The most common mediums though which abuse, intimidation and harassment was received were:

• Social media (82% had experienced via this medium)

• In person (62%)

• Email (51%)

The most common ways of experiencing abuse, intimidation and harassment were:

• Campaigns to discredit them (55% had experienced this)

• Receiving unwanted, repeated communications (45%)

• Personal information placed on public website or forum (34%)

22% of respondents had experienced a threat of violence in their role as a Councillor, while 6% had experienced a threat of death.

Protection for Councillors

18% of respondents felt the council’s arrangements for protecting them personally in their roles as Councillors was effective, while 53% felt council arrangement were ineffective.

Reasons given for why Councillors felt the council’s arrangements for protecting them were not effective included:

• A lack of protection

• Publishing of their personal information

• Lack of awareness of procedures

• Lack of feedback when reporting issues

Reporting and preventing harassment

49% of those who had experienced abuse, intimidation of harassment as a Councillor reported it to their group leader or political party, while 40% had reported it to council officers, and 33% to the police.

On a scale of 1 to 5, 27% of respondents gave a response of 5 (very effective) or 4, as to the effectiveness of the advice they received upon reporting it, while 24% gave a response of 1 (very ineffective) or 2.

On a scale of 1 to 5, 38% of respondents gave a response of 5 (very well prepared) or 4 as to how well prepared they are to handle incidents of abuse, intimidation or harassment. 15% gave a response of 1 (not well prepared at all) or 2.92% of respondents were aware their home address could be withheld from the Cheshire East Council website - and of these, 50% had requested for their home address to be withheld from it.