Emily Atack looked cheerful as she left BBC Breakfast on Monday after describing her experience of online sexual harassment.
The 33-year-old actress appeared on the show to promote her upcoming BBC documentary Emily Atack: Asking For It?
Emily explained her motivation for campaigning for tougher harassment laws and the impact it has on her and her family’s mental health.
Hot topic: Emily Atack looked cheerful as she left BBC Breakfast on Monday after describing her experience of online sexual harassment
She said: ‘We were in lockdown, everyone felt really isolated and all my life I noticed men’s behavior towards me.
“But I did notice a spate of sexually violent threats sent to me on social media.
“And it just got worse and I used hummus as a coping tool and released it to say is this normal?”
“I took a screenshot of the stuff and just wanted to see the reaction. It was fascinating to see how big this problem is.”
Regarding the horrific things that were sent to her, she said: “Unfortunately, I also experienced things that happened to me personally.
Her comment: The 33-year-old actress appeared on the show to promote her upcoming BBC documentary Emily Atack: Asking For It?
“The reason I say this online abuse is just as bad as it is on the street is because the feeling I get when something is sent to me evokes the same feelings as if it happened on the street.
If someone sends me a message like that, I can delete it, but that message has already come, I have to spend my day after that.
“People ask me to turn a blind eye to blocking and deleting. All of these behaviors can escalate and become much worse.”
Following an excerpt from the documentary, in which her mother reads the messages she received daily, she said: “Look at the impact this has on a family. It takes you three seconds to send me, but the aftermath is heavy on my family and my parents who blame themselves for not protecting me and for blaming myself for what I spread there. The consequences are terrible.
“Power and control are the two words that keep coming up. Men say we do it because we can. It is systemic, it is behavior that has been normalized for generations.
“We talk a lot about toxic masculinity and there’s a lot of pressure to be masculine and join the conversation and they feel under pressure. Men are afraid women laugh at them and women are afraid men will kill them.”
Emily went on to share how she tried to change online sexual harassment laws.
She said: “When I started the process I looked at the law and made a speech in Parliament about the effects on mental health.
“Looking at the law and changing it would be a little more reassuring to know they’re taking it seriously.
Aftermath: During the show, Emily explained her motivation for advocating for stricter laws regarding harassment and the impact it has on her and her family’s mental health.
She added: “I still doubt myself, when I came a minute ago I made sure my cleavage wasn’t showing too much. We don’t want it to feel like we’re showing our bodies.
“I talk about my sex life on my shows, I’m very liberated sexually, but I was interested in that kind of behavior because it was projected onto me from childhood. It became a coping mechanism. We absolutely do not charge for it.’;
While discussing why she chose to be so open about the abuse, Emily explained that she wanted to help other women.
She said: “There will be so many women dealing with this who are afraid to say it’s happening to them. We are afraid to speak out or question our trauma.
Hard work: Emily went on to talk about how she tried to change online sexual harassment laws
“It’s not about us, we’ve been told what to change and I’m tired of trying to change myself and I think we all do.
“We are tired and say, where is the responsibility for this behavior and these crimes?
“I get rape texts, pictures of penises, it happens every day. We must look to the other side, men and women together, not separately.”
Her words come after the actress opened up about the barrage of explicit messages she receives daily in her show’s first trailer.
Emily has dealt with online sexual harassment since she was a teenager and in the trailer, admits she is “nervous” about dating them.
The comedian admitted that she sometimes worries that the posts are “her fault” when she shares photos of herself in bikinis and other revealing clothing online.
In the trailer, Emily says, “Every morning when I wake up I see a man’s penis that I didn’t ask for.”
The former Inbetweeners actress can be seen in her kitchen scrolling through her phone while counting the number of messages she has received.
She says: “This morning… I want to see how you count? … 37. This guy sends me pictures of him doing handstands all the time.
She adds: “Eight o’clock this morning, that nice, big, nice penis there. It honestly knocked me off my feet.”
Candid: Emily has dealt with online sexual harassment since she was a teenager and in the trailer she admits she’s “nervous” about dating them
Several sexually explicit messages that Emily received online appeared on screen and she can be heard saying: “This is the ultimate disrespect.”
“It’s best to say, ‘I think you have easy access and you’re ready.’
“It was in lockdown when things got really, really bad. I felt sick knowing what I was going to see. And I started posting these posts on my Instagram.
“I wanted to know how many other people got them. I realized this happens to so many people.’
Show: The comedian admitted she sometimes worries the posts are “her fault” when she shares photos of herself in bikinis and other revealing clothing online
Next, Emily talks to several other women – including a young girl – who have been victims of online sexual harassment.
At the end of the trailer, she says, “I want this to end. It’s about catching these people before they do the worst. People need to understand that.
“I’m nervous about making all this public because I’ve posted bikini photos on my Instagram. You know I talk about sex on my shows and I’m very naughty and flirty.
“There will be people who will say: ‘You asked for this negative attention, what do you expect? You sit there and ask, “Is this my fault? Is this something I brought out?” ‘
Documentary: At the end of the trailer she says: “I want this to stop. It’s about catching these people before they do their worst. People need to understand that
In April last year, Emily lashed out at her male fans, who bombarded her with unsolicited photos of their penises on social media.
The actress said she would probably get “about 10 pennies for breakfast that I didn’t ask for.”
She told it close the mirror: “When someone sends me a sexually explicit message, I think, ‘Why did he tell me that?’
“You wonder who you are and why you’re single.”
While discussing her love life, she also joked, “I try to stay away from things that aren’t good for me.”
Emily Atack: ask about it? will be broadcast on BBC iPlayer from January 31.
Emily said: “I wanted to know how many other people get them. It made me realize that this happens to so many people.
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Ashley Root is an author and celebrity journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for all things celebrity, Ashley is always up-to-date on the latest gossip and trends in the world of entertainment.
