When did we stop seeing those in the limelight – be it athletes, musicians, film stars or anyone else – as human? At what point did it become acceptable for some to feel that they have ownership over aspects of their lives or that they have the right to hurl abuse behind the protection of a screen? And how, in women’s football in particular and women’s sport more generally, can we find the balance between access and providing players with the protection that ensures their safety?
These have been just some of the questions I have been mulling over in the last few weeks, sparked by a litany of events within the women’s game and beyond. Most recently, the stalking incident that Emma Raducanu had to endure at the Dubai Tennis Championships was an eye-opener into some of the things that are going on overtly and in the shadows.
