A Taranaki newspaper columnist says she has received threats of sexual violence from leaders in the agricultural community.
Police are investigating a complaint by Rachel Stewart, who said she got threats online and by email.
Ms Stewart said the threats began last Monday after the Taranaki Daily News published a column in which she responded to a Federated Farmers claim that the Environment Court treats farmers worse than murderers and rapists.
She says she received sexual insults on Twitter.
The note Rachel Stewart says she received in her mailbox. Photo: Supplied
"They discuss things like a bull should artificially inseminate me but the bull would need blinders on which I kind of found slightly amusing - but horrible."
Ms Stewart, who herself was once the president of Federated Farmers in Whanganui, said the tweets were favourited by several elected officers of Federated Farmers.
One tweet offering support to Rachel Stewart. Photo: Supplied
She said she went to the police on Thursday after receiving a note in her mailbox saying: "We're not so dumb, we know where you live bitch."
Ms Stewart said she was not bothered by the threats and they would not deter her from writing.
"I'm deeply concerned for New Zealand agriculture, not me. And I just don't know how we can get anywhere when we are reducing women, who criticise farming politics, to just our gender and our sex lives."
