Here’s a head-scratcher for you: would you ever stand for parliament?

If your automatic response to that question was a snort and a ‘no chance’, you’re not alone. According to new research conducted by BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, just 10% of women would consider getting involved in public life in any formal way, such as running for election as an MP or local councillor.

The figures make for startling and sobering reading, but they capture something I’ve long suspected. Many UK women would love to see more gender diversity in public life, particularly in positions of political power. But far, far, far fewer women are prepared to actually put themselves out there. Why are we so reticent, when we’re generally so confident about pursuing what we want in our careers, our friendships, our education, our relationships?

Over the last couple of years, online abuse has frequently been singled out as a major factor deterring women from politics, particularly women from marginalised groups. Female MPs from all parties – including Diane Abbott, Ruth Davidson, Jess Phillips, Jo Swinson, Anna Soubry and Caroline Lucas – have spoken out about the harassment they receive on platforms such as Twitter. Prime Minister Theresa May, meanwhile, has highlighted the problem of social media misogyny as a threat to democracy itself, and called on social media companies to do more to address the problem.

But while concerns about online abuse are far from unfounded, the threat of being trolled doesn’t seem to be what’s putting many ordinary women off getting involved in public life – at least, not consciously. Just 4% of women polled by Woman’s Hour cited fears about personal abuse or threats as a reason for why they wouldn’t stand for a public position.

More than 10 x that amount (43%), in contrast, attributed their reluctance to get involved to something much simpler: that they’re just “not that type of person”.

“If we want more women in the public eye, our ideas about power must change”