Emily 'The law needs to change

As Emily Atack speaks out on sexual harassment in a hard-hitting new documentary, new investigates what action is being taken to prevent the widespread abuse of women and girls online

-  LUCY ROBINSON

Just as the issue of sexual harassment in the offline world has gained traction in recent years, so too has the notion of online sexual harassment. Referring to behaviour including the sending of explicit and unwanted comments, messages, photos or videos, both publicly and privately, Amnesty International UK found that one in five women in the UK have experienced online harassment, with half of those saying the content was sexist or misogynistic.

And it’s something that actress and TV presenter Emily Atack has drawn attention to, as a woman growing up in the public eye. In addition to using her social media to highlight the harassment she receives, the former The Inbetweeners star has also made a documentary for the BBC about how online sexual harassment has impacted her day-to-day life.

EVERYDAY BEHAVIOUR

The documentary Emily Atack: Asking For It? follows Emily as she explores what is being done to protect women and girls online – an issue that is a top concern given that Brits spend an average of 22 years, one month and four days of their lives on the internet.

“I was shocked at how much we’ve normalised this kind of behaviour. Part of me just thought this is normal, everyday behaviour from men towards women,” says Emily about her experience. “It made me realise that that’s the point we've normalised this behaviour for so long we are just accustomed to it. This behaviour, this abuse, has become completely tolerated."