Are female bloggers safe online?

Helen Lewis-Hasteley wrote yesterday on the New Statesman blog about comments that female bloggers receive in response to posts they write.

This takes me back to 2007 when I first started blogging and moaning about the comments I received when a Lib Dem blogger. I was highlighted by a Nazi site and felt a bit scared as a 27 year old. Now, four years later, my skin is a little bit tougher and I can put things into perspective when attacked online.

Recently, having conversed with a man I indirectly began a conversation with through blogging and my online presence, I was shocked to be asked if I had rape fantasies. I replied no and have cut contact but it's a reminder of the power which men are desperate to wield over you after experiencing your power over them as a blogger and a visible online woman in 'their' private sphere of the 'relaxed pornographic' internet. It also makes me think that men feel female bloggers are putting themselves out there to the extent that they are 'asking for it', in terms of both violent and sexual abuse. That they've asked for the abuse by being prominent and confident.

Rape threats and comments about being violent to a female blogger are on another level and signify the power lust of misogynistic men who feel oppressed by the new more visible female online.

This also applies to journalism as a whole. In my view female journalists are attacked much more ferociously upon writing a piece which many people find distasteful. I've encountered many hate-fuelled pieces by male journalists which haven't even been highlighted as anything unusual. The Melanie Phillips of the online world are focused on much more than male journalists who spout hate for example.

Of course there is always the delete button but should female bloggers ignore a threat of violence? As one of the female bloggers in Helen's piece says the police are useless. If you approached them they would probably ask you to keep a diary of the abuse and since it only happens once and is often anonymous it would be a tough call. So nothing happens. Internet sites need to get better at allowing bloggers to report abuse.

Perhaps in another couple of years there will be so many more female bloggers, commentators and journalists that men will be used to us being in 'their private sphere' and carry on quietly with the washing up after reading a challenging article. Lets hope.