Jelena Dokic reveals on Q&A how online trolls have targeted her with cruel question
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Tennis star Jelena Dokic reveals the six ‘evil’ words porridge trolls continue to taunt her with after opening up about her suicidal thoughts, as she demands more be done about cyber bullying.
- The retired tennis star spoke about the effect of cyber trolling
- Dokic said she was mocked for her 2022 suicide attempt
- Online abuse is “evil,” he said, and trolls ignore the impacts.
An emotional Jelena Dokic has revealed that ‘evil’ cyber trolls have taunted her by asking ‘are you going to kill yourself?’
The Yugoslavian-born Australian tennis star admitted he had received the vile abuse, during an ABC question-and-answer show on Monday night.
Last year, the 39-year-old bravely admitted on Instagram that she almost jumped from a 26th-floor balcony while struggling to cope with sustained depression and anxiety.
The former world number 4 player is now a mental health advocate and confessed that even in that role, she faces all kinds of abuse.
“You have a little bit of this hate and you get trolled and I’ve had it on everything from a mental health perspective to body shaming and abuse as well,” Dokic said.
Last year, Dokic, 39, bravely admitted on Instagram that she nearly jumped off a 26th-floor balcony while struggling to cope with sustained depression and anxiety.
“I consider myself pretty strong and have pretty thick skin, but reading some of that stuff [like] ‘Are you going to try to kill yourself again?’ – What happened this year, with a laughing emoji…’
“I’m not the only one who understands it, and it’s been something I’ve been so passionate about.”
Dokic stands by his claims that online abuse is ‘evil’ and must be stopped.
“You have no idea how many people… come to me and tell me, or write to me, and say that my brother took his own life 25 hours ago and we were at his funeral,” she said.
Her voice cracking, Ms Dokic said: “It breaks my heart that there are so many people suffering.”
He explained that nine Australians take their own lives every day.
‘That’s almost 3,500 people a year and a million a year worldwide. And is anyone kidding about it?
‘You don’t know what kind of damage it can do to me or someone else.’
Dokic said he disagrees with the view of some people who say that online abuse is to be expected for anyone who opens up social media.
‘It’s not. Why is it normal to be abused?
An emotional Jelena Dokic has revealed that ‘evil’ cyber trolls have taunted her by asking ‘are you going to kill yourself?’
Dokic said he disagrees with the view of some people who say that online abuse is to be expected of anyone who opens up social media.
“If we had it in real life, people couldn’t get away with it.
‘If I was on a tennis court, Center Court in the middle of the Australian Open and someone was yelling, swearing at me, security would take them away and there would be consequences.
“So I think the question is why there are no consequences when it comes to social media.”
She supports the idea that all accounts could be verified and estimates that 90 percent of the trolls who abused her online had no photo, no followers, and were anonymous.
If you or someone you know needs mental health support, you can call Lifeline free on 13 11 14.