Women in Worcestershire share experiences of online abuse
The girlfriend of footballer Jack Grealish says she received death threats during Euro 2020
Women in Worcestershire has shared their experiences with online abuse.
Yesterday, the girlfriend of Aston Villa and England footballer revealed she received over 200 death threats per day during Euro 2020.
Model Sasha Attwood described social media as "toxic" after teenagers as young as 13-year-old were among those sending her abuse online.
We've spoken to two women in Worcestershire about how online abuse has affected their lives.
Daisy Johnson - "I quit my job because I had a mental breakdown"
Daisy started a Twitter account to talk about football and mental health a few years ago and eventually attracted around 5,000 followers.
Once she started opening up about her experiences with mental health, that's when the online abuse started.
"I never asked for any of these followers and I'm literally getting men, grown men in most cases, in my personal messages or literally straight up for people to see, telling me to go kill myself.
"I had people telling me I looked like a dog, that I was fat. It's so hard to hear this on a daily basis.
"This was going on for three or four years. It would definitely be on a weekly if not daily basis where I would receive some sort of hate.
"I began self-harming. I was already struggling with mental health issues and when you hear that from somebody and you're already in a low place, you can have a hundred people tell you you're beautiful, but that one, two or three people who are constantly telling you that you're worthless and need to die or that you're ugly - that's the stuff which sticks in your head.
"I'm now in therapy. Not entirely because of the online abuse but it's played a big part of it. I'm now having to fork money out of my own pocket because of people who don't know me abusing me on the internet.
"Something desperately needs to be done by social media companies. These people get their account removed but the next day they're back on using a different email address and account.
"Claire" - "I was scared to live in my own home"
"Claire", who's identity has been changed to protect her anonymity, says her partner started a hate group on Facebook which saw hundreds of people join.
"She went online and found people I don’t talk to or had fallen out with over the years and started friending them.
"She started a hate group and witch hunt with hundreds of people joining in saying I abused my horses, dogs and now abused my current partners daughter.
"She manipulated old text messages into a different context to suit her, sharing addresses of my horses for people to “check on them”, contacting people like BHS, social services, RSPCA and lots of agencies to get my animals taken away.
" I had to move my horses four times in two years, she ruined my online website and business so had to close it down, made me scared to live in my own home.
"She put everything online and used Facebook to tell people what to do.
"When I contacted Facebook they said no rules had been broken. I also contacted Instagram, TikTok, and twitter – nobody cared."
If you're experiencing online abuse and need help, go to:
- Children - contact the NSPCC helpline 0808 800 5000
- Contact the Revenge Porn Helpline - 0345 600 0459
- Contact National Stalking Helpline - 0808 802 0300
Find a service local to you by searching on the Victims Choice Website