"When a woman participates in politics, she should be putting her hopes and dreams for the future on the line, not her dignity and not her life."  

-Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State (2016)

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"Like me, many women in politics have been told to just not engage -- and to just 'let things go.' Or, we're told to just simply 'ignore the trolls.' We're told that you 'gotta be tough' in politics, and if you can't handle it, then it's just not for you. 'Grow a thick skin,' they'll often say. But the thickest of skins won't combat threats that are acted upon. The thickest of skins won't stop a bullet."  

-Janis Irwin, Canadian politician (2016)

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"Threats of violence have become more prevalent for women in public life... At worst, they can take the form of detailed death threats, or threats of violence against family, friends and staff. And of course, as a woman in public life, the violent threats take on another sickening dimension. Threats of violent abuse, of rape, are far too common. A woman in public view may expect to receive them almost daily... These voices weaken, ridicule, humiliate and terrify. Not only do they challenge the resolve of the women who cop the abuse, but they deter other women from raising their hand to serve in public life... let us stand in solidarity with the next generation of women and support their right to serve and lead, safely and freely, but most importantly – powerfully."

-Julia Gillard, fomer Prime Minister of Australia (2016)

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“If you are stunned by the words you have heard in the last few days, if you reject the inherent violence behind them, and you know that harassment and abuse, even if it's verbal, even if it's online, and even if it's directed at a political opponent, is poison. Let us be strong and clear in our resolve that no matter where we sit along political lines, we stand together against this. If we don't feed it, we must oppose it. Please oppose it. Don't ignore it. Don't look the other way. Don't excuse it – because our daughters are watching us. Imagine if we let that poison become normalized? Or if our daughters forego the political arena altogether. That scares me."

-Sandra Jansen, Member of Alberta Legislature, Canada (2016)

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"British democracy has always been robust and oppositional. But a line is crossed when disagreement mutates into intimidation. When putting across your point of view becomes trying to exclude and intimidate those with whom you disagree. Women in the nineteenth century had to contend with open hostility and abuse to win their right to vote in the twenty-first century it cannot be acceptable for any women – or any person – to have to face threats and intimidation simply because she or he has dared to express a political opinion."

-Theresa May, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2018)