To think that it's time that explicit threats of sexual violence were dealt with.

[Twirlyhot]

Here

WARNING: potentially triggering

The woman MP who highlighted Twitter's inadequate response to rape threats directed at Caroline Criado-Perez (the woman who campaigned to have at least one female historical figure represented on our bank notes) has now been targeted with rape threats. Graphic threats.

Enough is enough. This happens to women online who give any sort of opinion. It happens to teenage girls and middle aged women. To the left wing and the right. To those who are in the media spotlight and to people you've never heard of.

It's not just words. It's a crime. Let's get it treated as one.

Absolutely right!

I saw some similar vile remarks on Twitter a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't believe someone could write something so nasty and get away with it. I looked for a 'report' button but couldn't find one. I looked further and found how difficult it was to stop this kind of stuff. It's disgusting. Twitter just don't care. It's a license for people to bully and abuse.

I agree with the OP, we need to do something about this.

There is a petition on change.org!

Absolutely. I hate that so many think we should just stay quiet and hope it goes away. A threat of rape should never ever be left to stand!

Yadnbu.

I don't do twitter but that's vile, why are these crimes not taken seriously in this day and age? It scares me that I am due a daughter in dec. what sort of world am I bringing her in to? It's like we're still in the dark ages.

Absolutely. If they were threats to kill they'd be dealt with, so why not threats to rape, etc.

The one about boycotting Twitter? A report button would help but the change needs to come from those the threats are reported to.

petition here

Thank you. The petition is a good start. I'd like to know that if people do report (when that becomes possible) that legal action is taken.

Agree OP, but I'd like to widen the reporting to include any threat of violence

Thanks Wilson. Have signed.

I agree op.

Signed it and shared it on fb.

If it gets widened, where does it stop? March 100,000 people to the police station? Get them all cautioned?

If someone makes a threat to harm someone else in person, then it can be reported to the police. We don't question that process - why do we tolerate it on Twitter?

caster Are you saying that if lots of people commit a crime we should narrow the definition?

I think Caster is saying that men have a right to make rape threats.

That's gross

Sorry. Report button is going to do bupkis. Twitter gets something like 400m posts a day. No way to moderate or even respond to a report abuse button without hiring major staff. Not going to happen.

What we need is education as to what is appropriate behaviour in the world. Not in the UK. The 'net is lawless, after all.

The person who made threats against Caroline was arrested, because he lives in the UK. But if he had not, there would be nothing the UK police could have done.

It's already illegal. Pursuing some of the worst offenders, having them identified publicly, be convicted, lose their jobs etc is going to put make people think twice.

The response to these comments is usually that it's '14 year old boys' or untraceable accounts. The whole point is that it's become so tolerated that it's often not anonymous. People post abusive crap at women from identifiable accounts because it doesn't occur to them that there will ever be any consequences for them! Adult men with jobs and families. And people still suggest that the recipients should delete it or stop posting if 'they can't handle it.'

It's not acceptable. It is a big deal.

No of course men do not have a right to make rape threats.
I was responding to SirChenjin who wanted it widened to all violence.
Brilliiant. I would love for there to be no threats, no bullying, no anything nasty on twitter, facebook, on here, everywhere.
I am agreeing with Tee.
400m posts a day. If say 10% are yuk, which they probably are, that is 4m posts, so potentially 4m people around the world.
Major staff as she says.
If it is workable, how wonderful.
Does anyone think it is workable?

If it breaks the law it's their problem. They happily collect the profits, it's time for them to take some responsibility.

Isn't it a shame they don't work in a field that would allow them to in some way search through vast amounts of information using some form of algorithm...

My first thought was also that it would be too expensive for Twitter to do anything, but my second (and speaking as a non-user who barely knows what Twitter is) is that it wouldn't be to difficult to automate the shutdown of accounts that produced too much outrage, no human intervention required.

Twitter is an American company with offices worldwide.

Whose laws should they follow?

Twitter account closed.

New email address.

New twitter account opened.

10 minutes max.

It's a huge problem. Some sympathy for the " it's Twitters problem, they should deal with it" POV.

But really, the problem is with the cretinous posters. Some form of public naming and shaming/mockery?