Nadia Bartel reveals ‘disgusting’ online abuse endured during relationship with ex Jimmy

The former footy WAG has opened up about the horrific online abuse she endured from trolls during her relationship with ex-husband Jimmy Bartel.

Nadia Bartel has revealed for the first time the damaging extent of online trolls when she was an AFL WAG.

Bartel, who shares two children with ex-husband, AFL great Jimmy Bartel, said she copped “disgusting” abuse when she first started dated him at age 21.

“I remember with me early days when I was first dating my partner then, now my ex, I was 21, not in this industry at all,’’ she said.

“I was working full time in my office job and the treatment that I got back then was just disgusting. Threads and threads were written on online forums, everything about my appearance, the size of my nose and how I look like a man and just these comments, and they do stick with you.

“Even if you’re someone who’s got a very thick skin. You can’t say getting comments like that doesn’t get to you.”

Nadia Bartel says she copped horrific abuse from trolls when she started dating her ex-husband. Picture: Supplied/Instagram

Bartel said she felt compelled to speak out after hearing stories of other AFL WAGs affected by negative comments.

She said it made her feel “sick” that people feel it’s OK to publicly judge women’s weight and appearance.

“This is something that has been going on forever and it literally makes me sick to see these negative comments,’’ she said.

“The people who are writing this negativity don’t realise the effects it can have on people. This isn’t just partners of professional sports people, this is just people in general who are speaking negatively about anyone that may be in the media or have a profile.

“I just think it’s so so so damaging and particularly some of these partners of AFL players and different sportspeople, they are just regular every day mums or girls and they don’t exactly want to be thrown into the limelight. And for people out there to be judging every single part of their body and appearance, it does really cause lifelong effects to that person.”

Nadia Bartel has revealed she endured horrible comments about her appearance during her time as an AFL WAG. Picture: Supplied/Instagram.

She added: “If you wouldn’t go up and say that to their face why do you think it’s OK to comment and tear them down on social media? In my early 20s, early 30s, I did get really affected. Now that I’m older, I don’t care, I know who I am and I know what I stand for and I don’t engage. Yes it doesn’t get to me but for a lot of young girls they don’t know how to deal with that stuff and it can get very lonely and you start to believe what you’re reading.”

Bartel also hit out at the treatment of content creator Indy Clinton who has received abuse after undergoing a nose job.

“She has decided to do something to her own body and she was very public with that which I think is very brave and she’s so public in sharing so many aspects of her life and we can all connect with that because it’s nice to see someone being so real,’’ Bartel said.

“I can’t believe, this is mums and sisters and daughters out there, writing things about her appearance. Please just have a bit of empathy and just really think before you write something like that online.

“If you have something negative to say, you’re allowed to have your opinions and say whateer you want, why do we continually have to tear women down? Why can’t you keep that opinion to yourself.”