Frankie Bridge opens up on ‘belittling’ sexual harassment she receives online

Frankie Bridge has opened up on the ‘belittling’ sexual harassment she receives online.

The former popstar, 34, revealed the constant barrage of harassment she faces, saying that she ‘regularly’ gets sent ‘disgusting’ messages ‘all the time’.

Speaking to Fabulous magazine, Frankie praised Emily Atack for opening up on her documentary Emily Atack: Asking For It?

Speaking to the publication, she said: ‘I generally don’t get [sent] pictures, but I’ve had regular people sending me the same disgusting messages all the time. 

‘I know what it’s going to be now, so I try not to open it, but it makes you feel belittled – and I think this is a conversation we need to be having.

Honest: Frankie Bridge has opened up on the ‘belittling’ sexual harassment she receives online

‘It’s a really hard one to crack down on and we’ve got a long way to go until it’s eradicated.’

Emily, 33, recently broke down in tears as she laid bare her feelings about receiving hundreds of unsolicited messages and pictures from men online.

The TV star was speaking in her documentary as she admitted she felt to blame for the messages she is bombarded with on a daily basis by strangers via Instagram.

Back in 2021, Emily met with MPs in parliament to detail her experiences online and to encourage them to take action.

She told Grazia following her meeting: ‘It was an intense conversation about a really important subject.

‘It’s a subject that I’m so passionate about, and it was so amazing to see people sat in a very important building, taking this seriously. And it warms your heart, knowing that people are concerned about the same things that you are.’

She added: ‘It was just such an honour to be a part of that discussion, and to be listened to – and to be respected in that capacity.’

Meanwhile, Frankie opened up out about another online issue – cancel culture – and says she fears for her own children being censored or punished for things they may say by accident.

Opening up: The former popstar, 34, revealed the constant barrage of harassment she faces, saying that she 'regularly' gets sent 'disgusting' messages 'all the time'

Opening up: The former popstar, 34, revealed the constant barrage of harassment she faces, saying that she ‘regularly’ gets sent ‘disgusting’ messages ‘all the time’

The star has two children, Parker, nine, and Carter, seven.

Speaking to the publication, she said: ‘Cancel culture is really unhealthy. We’ve always taught our children that if you make a mistake, you say sorry, learn from it and move on. 

‘And now we’re telling young people that if you mess up once, you’re screwed.

‘Obviously there are different levels of that and some things you can’t come back from, but I think it’s going to change the way that TV and journalism work. 

‘And how general life works for young kids – and I worry for them with that.’

It comes after Emily, speaking in her documentary, wiped away tears as she told her mum Kate Robbins she finds it ‘difficult’ to talk about because of how it affects her and the people around her. 

Praise: Speaking to Fabulous magazine , Frankie praised Emily Atack for opening up on her documentary Emily Atack: Asking For It?

Praise: Speaking to Fabulous magazine , Frankie praised Emily Atack for opening up on her documentary Emily Atack: Asking For It?

She told Ms Robbins: ‘I see the pain in your face when we try and talk about things. We can’t talk about them because it’s too difficult.’

Ms Robbins said: ‘It’s very difficult – the overriding feeling of guilt is a difficult one to explain to people.

Beginning to cry, Ms Atack said: ‘I don’t know why I’m getting upset I think I’m really tired. Sorry it’s just so uncomfortable.’

Coming over to hug her daughter, Ms Robbins said: ‘It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself.’

Ms Atack then reflected on her teen years, revealing that she got more drunk than others at parties and went off with boys.

She shared that she was scared of men and she adopted the behaviour as a coping mechanism, opening herself up to men and boys from an early age after having her first sexual experience with an 18-year-old when she was 12. 

Bombarded: Speaking to the publication, she said: 'I generally don't get [sent] pictures, but I've had regular people sending me the same disgusting messages all the time'

Bombarded: Speaking to the publication, she said: ‘I generally don’t get [sent] pictures, but I’ve had regular people sending me the same disgusting messages all the time’

Ms Atack has been exploring the inappropriate unsolicited sexual messages she receives from men and the fact that she blames herself for them. 

She said: ‘What I really want to get out there is that that girl at school, we all know one, the girl who gets more drunk than everyone at a party and she’s going off with all the boys, there’s another story there.

She continued: ‘She’s not doing that because she wants to, because she likes sex and getting her boobs out, she feels that there is no other way to be at the moment and she’s looking for something in all the wrong places.  

‘It’s too easy to go “slag” but you shouldn’t have to search for those things when you’re 13 years old. If you are, there’s obviously some pain going on.

‘I am speaking from experience, I have never been in so much pain than when I was behaving that way.’

The star then revealed that she was treated a certain way by men and women afterwards.

She said that is why she thinks the messages she receives are her fault, adding: ‘Men fire that at us “you asked for it”, it’s avoiding accountability.’

But Ms Atack then said: ‘We’re not asking for it. It’s their behaviour that has to change.’

Earlier in the programme, Ms Atack had a discussion with her mother after she read the messages she receives and got upset.

She said: ‘I didn’t expect it to be so vile, I felt my daughter had been violated and I couldn’t protect you.’

Truthful: She say she adopted the behaviour as a coping mechanism, opening herself up to men and boys from an early age after having her first sexual experience with an 18-year-old when she was 12

Truthful: She say she adopted the behaviour as a coping mechanism, opening herself up to men and boys from an early age after having her first sexual experience with an 18-year-old when she was 12

Her daughter then revealed that she felt guilty because she blamed herself for showing the messages to her and making her sad. 

But her mother reassured her that she had left the room at the time because it was hard for her to see the screenshots.

Later, Ms Atack cried as her mother hugged her, telling her not blame herself for the messages. 

Ms Robbins said: ‘I am just so sorry that you feel all your life that everything has been your fault. It’s not. I was just trying to do stuff to protect you as a mum.  You must never blame yourself.’

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