Beverley Knight reveals 'disturbing' social media abuse and urges men to 'call out' abusers

Award-winning singer and actress Beverley Knight has revealed her "disturbing" experience with online abuse as she urges men to "call out" other men.

Speaking to the , the West End actress shared the first "serious” case of hateful messages and shocking accusations she received on social media and how it is "so much worse" today.

The MBE recipient was forced to call police after she was targeted for being "Black" and a "woman" but says malicious communications towards women “isn't taken seriously” but "has an effect."

Beverley said: "It really disturbed me. This person accused me of all kinds including pedophilia, racism and commenting on everything that I said or did.

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"It was reams and reams and reams of comments. So much so that I could take a print out of it and lay it on the table and just see sheets and sheets and sheets of this abuse and horrible comments." The star says she involved the police after the incident took place 13 years ago but that they were unable to take action as she says the perpetrator based in Manchester suffered mental health issues.

Beverley said: “I just ignored it, as much as it really troubled me inside. Eventually it petered away.” But the star still receives abuse today which she now chooses to ignore, however, she says that women and girls suffer "24/7" which makes it difficult to look the other way.

The star recently performed at the Equality Now Gala on Tuesday night in New York where E.Jean Carroll - the author who sued former president for sexual assault and won, accepted a courage award. As well as being a founder member of women’s organisation, The Circle along with singer Annie Lennox, the singer has previously shared her own experience with domestic abuse.

Speaking about the gala, the she added that there were many men who came to support including actor Ben Stiller, and that a “concerted effort” to tackle the issue of online abuse was needed with the help of advocacy from men. She said: “It's a huge, huge problem and it needs advocacy not only from women but also men. To step up and step forward.

“The behaviour towards women online which is not often taken that seriously, [people say] ‘oh, it's just words, it's hurty words’, well no, they have an effect. It affects so many of us. That was the beautiful thing about [the event]. There were so many men in the room, my husband came, my uncle, who were there to support and be an all.

“I’m so fortunate I've got a husband who does that every single time, trying to get other men to account for their behaviour. The more we can encourage other men to be allies and stand with women to call out this behaviour and call out their mates when they say inappropriate things... society at large is a lot more peaceful and happier place."

The songwriter also called on the new Labour government to tackle the issue which many female MPs face. She said: “We have a new government and there are a lot of things that need attention and need to be fixed. This area is one of them because it affects members of their own party and members of their own cabinet.

“There isn't a person whether they want to deny it or not, who is unaware of the abuse that and Dawn Butler have faced over the years and that intersectionality with race which is just ugly. This is an urgent issue, it needs to be resolved legally and signed into law. People need to be forced to take account for things they say online.”

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