The recent celebration of International Women's Day, combined with the war in Ukraine, some disturbing reports of antics by Canadian politicians, and the commencement of the trial of four men who allegedly tried to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Witmer, have had me thinking deeply about violence against women in the Canadian political diaspora.

The horrors and despair we are watching on our screens from towns and cities across Ukraine need no enhancement from me. The bravery of Ukrainian women, men and children is incredible. Political leaders are strong, resolute and showing great leadership in this time of crisis.

International Women's Day was a time to celebrate the many accomplishments of women in our society. Without doubt there has been a great increase in the number of women elected to public office. School boards, town and city councils, provincial and territorial legislatures and our national Parliament have all become better for having more women participating and voting.

The Michigan Governor's kidnapping plot was a moment of sheer horror for everyone to contemplate. The allegation is that four men plotted to kidnap the Governor from her cottage in northern Michigan and take her to Wisconsin for a 'trial'. Their rage was apparently fueled by COVID restrictions and anger at government.

In Canada, we have certainly seen examples of bullying, intimidation and even physical confrontation between men and women in the political arena. Many female politicians tell stories of being hassled and harassed by male counterparts.

There certainly has been evidence of male politicians sexually bothering female employees, as well as women involved in the broader political spectrum such as consultants, advisors and many others.

Reports by retiring female politicians often feature stories of the hard times they endured at the hands of male counterparts. There is no question that some left public service because of their weariness of such treatment and the toll it takes not only on them but also on their families.

There are multiple concerns with this problem.

First, the level of violence in North American society seems to be increasing. From the January 6 invasion of the US Congress to the "Freedom March" in Ottawa this winter, there is pent-up anger among more and more people. Politics is at the heart of many perceived (or real) confrontations.

Second, this abuse of female elected (and sometimes appointed) officials underscores the difficulty of the environment in which they work. That is not conducive to higher productivity and civil debates. While businesswomen may have some protection from their company, and employees may have some from their unions, too often female politicians are alone and lonely.

Third, these kinds of unacceptable actions are both driving good women out of politics while simultaneously keeping good candidates from running for public office. "Why would I expose myself and my family to that kind of abuse and stress?", they ask. It is a fair question. The answers are complex and difficult, but people who want to seek office should not be abused.

So that brings us to the fourth concern—social media. Look, nobody is going to be loved by everyone during their time in office; that goes with the position. But the level of vitriol, hatred and abuse by anonymous bloggers and texters has gone way past civil discourse and disagreement. Between fake news, doctored photo-shopped pictures and hidden cell phone cameras recording every off-the-record moment, politicians are being subjected to constant, negative and abusive public scrutiny. It is unrelenting. It can cause huge family and personal problems.

Fifth, we in Canada can't ignore racism as we think about sexism. Being Indigenous or a person of colour has been a challenge for aspiring politicians, but perhaps especially for women. That is certainly improving but there are more miles to go.

Finally, the Associated Press reported recently that according to a State and Local Government Review survey of Mayors in communities over 30,000 residents, 79% of mayors reported being a victim of harassment, threats or other psychological abuse. 13% of those surveyed reported instances of physical violence. Female mayors were twice as likely to face psychological abuse, and three times more likely to experience physical abuse.

This is an issue that politicians cannot run from; neither should our society. We need more good women in our political universe.