Frankie Bridge has opened up about the ‘disparaging’ sexual harassment he receives online.
The former pop star, 34, revealed the constant barrage of harassment she faces, saying she “regularly” receives “disgusting” messages “all the time”.
speaking to fabulous magazineFrankie praised Emily Atack for opening up in her documentary Emily Attack: Asking For It?
Speaking to the publication, he said: “I generally don’t understand [sent] photos, but I’ve had normal people send me the same disgusting messages all the time.
I know what it’s going to be like now, so I try not to open it up, but it makes you feel slighted, and I think this is a conversation we need to have.
Honest: Frankie Bridge has opened up about the ‘disparaging’ sexual harassment he receives online
“It’s really hard to get rid of it and we have a long way to go until it’s eradicated.”
Emily, 33, broke down in tears recently when she bared her feelings about receiving hundreds of unsolicited messages and photos from men online.
The TV star was speaking on her documentary when she admitted that she felt guilty about the messages that strangers bombard her daily on Instagram.
In 2021, Emily met with MPs in Parliament to detail their experiences online and encourage them to take action.
She told Grazia after their meeting: ‘It was an intense conversation on a really important topic.
“It’s a subject I’m very passionate about, and it was amazing to see people sitting in a very important building, taking this seriously. And it warms your heart, knowing that people are worried about the same things you are.’
She added: “It was a great honor to be a part of that discussion, and to be heard, and to be respected in that capacity.”
Meanwhile, Frankie has spoken about another problem online – cancel culture – and says she fears her own children will be censored or punished for things they may say by accident.
Opening: The former pop star, 34, has revealed the constant barrage of harassment she faces, saying she “regularly” gets “disgusting” messages “all the time”.
The star has two children, Parker, nine, and Carter, seven.
Speaking to the publication, he said: ‘Cancel culture is really unhealthy. We have always taught our children that if you make a mistake, say sorry, learn from it, and move on.
“And now we tell 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 television and journalism work.
“And how life in general works for young children, and that worries me for them.”
It comes after Emily, speaking in her documentary, wiped away tears when she told her mother, Kate Robbins, that she finds it “difficult” to talk about it because of how it affects her and the people around her.
Praise: Speaking to Fabulous magazine, Frankie praised Emily Atack for opening up in her documentary Emily Attack: Asking For It?
She told Mrs Robbins: ‘I see the pain in your face when we try to talk things out. We can’t talk about them because it’s too difficult.
Ms Robbins said: ‘It’s very difficult: the prevailing feeling of guilt is hard to explain to people.
Starting to cry, Ms. Atack said, “I don’t know why I’m getting upset, I think I’m really tired.” I’m sorry, it’s so awkward.
Reaching over to hug her daughter, Ms Robbins said: “It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself.”
Ms. Atack then reflected on her teenage years, revealing that she got more drunk than others at parties and dated boys.
She shared that they were afraid of men and adopted the behavior as a coping mechanism, opening 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 usually don’t understand [sent] photos, but I’ve had normal people send me the same disgusting messages all the time’
Ms. Atack has been exploring the unsolicited inappropriate sexual messages she receives from men and the fact that she blames herself for them.
She said: ‘What I really want to say is that girl at school, we all know one, the girl who gets drunk the most at a party and runs off with all the guys, there’s another story.
She continued: “She’s not doing that because she wants to, because she likes sex and taking her tits out, she feels like there’s no other way to be right now and she’s looking in all the wrong places.”
‘It’s too easy to become ‘scum’, but you shouldn’t have to look for those things when you’re 13. If so, obviously there is some pain.
“I speak from experience, I have never felt as much pain as when I behaved in that way.”
The star then revealed that both men and women treated her a certain way afterward.
He said that is why he believes the messages he receives are his fault, adding: “The men are shooting at us ‘you asked for’, it is to avoid accountability.”
But Ms Atack then said: ‘We’re not asking for it. It is your behavior that has to change.
Earlier on the show, Ms. Atack got into an argument with her mother after reading the messages she receives and became upset.
She said: ‘I didn’t expect it to be so vile, I felt like my daughter was raped and I couldn’t protect you.’
Truthful: Says she adopted the behavior as a coping mechanism, opening 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 her the messages and making her sad.
But her mother assured her that she had left the room at that time because it was difficult for her to see the screenshots.
Later, Ms. Atack cried when her mother hugged her and told her not to blame herself for the messages.
Ms Robbins said: ‘I’m so sorry that you feel all your life that everything has been your fault. It’s not. She was just trying to do things to protect you as a mother. You should never blame yourself.