Online violence against women in public life threatens democracy
- Author: Ján Michalko
- Published by: The Loop
A recent ruling in the case of a Slovak journalist who suffered years of online abuse is a stark reminder of widespread gendered violence against women in public life. Ján Michalko argues that this form of violence puts democracies at risk and calls for an urgent response, including efforts to transform the unequal gender norms that enable it
Zuzana Kovačič-Hanzelová is a prominent Slovak journalist whose court case against extremist Daniel Bombic made headlines earlier this summer. Kovačič-Hanzelová pursued a criminal case against Bombic for defamation. While the court recognised the vulgar nature of Bombic’s statements, it concluded that the harm she suffered did not meet the threshold for defamation. Bombic was therefore not convicted. Many saw the court’s ruling as a setback for women subjected to abuse in public life.
