'I almost felt online abuse was my fault'

A Sheffield student who is supporting a police campaign highlighting the dangers of online abuse has said she "almost felt like it was my fault" when she received explicit messages.

Renee, not her real name, said she felt "betrayed" when she was sent explicit messages from one boy, and another asked her to send graphic photos when she was in secondary school.

She told the BBC: "I was really taken aback. I felt like I'd done everything right, I wasn't messaging strangers, I wasn't posting inappropriate stuff and I was really young."

South Yorkshire Police said in 2023 it recorded 3,018 incidents of online abuse against women and girls including threats, harassment and stalking.

Assistant Ch Con Hayley Barnett said the force was trying to raise awareness so that people realise certain abusive messages and posts are a crime.

"The abuse should not be minimised in any way," she said.

"This is no less serious than when somebody is being threatened in the street or is subject to stalking in the street.

"When it's online, it can be even more invasive into that person's personal life because it is so far reaching."

Renee joined the campaign with South Yorkshire Police after seeing the impact of online abuse on her friends as well as herself.

"I almost felt like it was my fault for allowing that type of conversation with me," she said.

"Why am I making myself seem like someone that would be allowed to be spoken to like that?

"As if I was inviting that sort of attention to myself."

If you are affected by the issues in this story, support is available via the BBC Action Line.

Ms Barnett said online abuse needed to be discussed more so people understood the impact.

"I think people recognise these behaviours when they take place in the street or in a nightclub," she said.

"Threatening to sexually assault someone is a crime and I think we all accept that.

"It is no less serious when it is taking place online so I think we need to get that message across."

A survey by the charity Refuge found that 36% of women in the UK have experienced online abuse or harassment on social media or another online platform.

Renee said she hoped to see more people talking about the problem.

"The worst thing is that people don't realise how wrong it is.

"People can hide behind a screen sometimes.

"If it's a crime if it was in a bar, why would it not be if someone is saying it on your own phone, in your bedroom?"

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.