Tayla Harris photo: AFLW player takes stand against trolls

AFLW player Tayla Harris said she’s making a stand against sexist trolls before their thoughts become physical assaults.

AFLW player Tayla Harris says she’s making a stand against sexist trolls before their thoughts become physical assaults.

Last night trolls left vile, misogynistic comments beneath a photo of her kicking for goal during a weekend match.

Harris characterised the derogatory comments, which focused on her body, as online sexual assault and said they could be a warning sign of a real life attack.

She added she now feels “uncomfortable in my workplace”.

“It was obviously quite graphic and to read it and to feel uncomfortable … the thoughts kept going and I was like what if they turn up … that’s throughout the day.” she said.

“As all the conversations started I kind of thought to myself, what comes of this and could come of this? Hopefully nothing and I’m confident nothing … but it could.

“And if I didn’t call it out, these people might think it’s all right and they might take the next step.

“They haven’t obviously stopped commenting and thinking these things so how can anyone be sure they’re not actually going to take action on what they think.”

Harris said she would not lodge a complaint with Victoria Police.

Carlton Football Club CEO Cain Liddle condemned the comments and said the club had already blocked a number of users.

“I think these comments were clearly sexually derogatory, there’s no place for them they are completely unacceptable,” he said.

“We’ll move to block to anyone who makes those comments about any of our athletes because as far as we’re concerned we’re not interested in engaging with people like that.”

‘Animals’: trolls spark outrage

Earlier, Harris said she feels empowered by the flood of support she has received, but believes more concrete action needs to be taken against online “sexual abuse”.

An action shot of the Carlton player taking a kick against the Western Bulldogs was posted on Tuesday on the 7AFL Facebook page.

After a string of sexist comments on Facebook, Seven deleted the post, including the photo and the comments

The network later reinstated the Harris photo and apologised for withdrawing it after being criticised for giving in to online trolls.

Comment: a snapshot of stupidity

pic.twitter.com/9g76LaN9ZS

— 7AFL (@7AFL) March 19, 2019

We're sorry. Removing the photo sent the wrong message.

Many of the comments made on the post were reprehensible & we'll work harder to ban trolls from our pages.

Our intention was to highlight @taylaharriss incredible athleticism & we'll continue to celebrate women's footy. pic.twitter.com/p24Ll08LRC

— 7AFL (@7AFL) March 19, 2019

Harris later posted the photo herself with the comment: “This is a picture of me at work. Think about this before your derogatory comments, animals”.

Harris told RSN Radio the public support for her had been “awesome” but the AFL community now needed to look at the bigger picture.

“Obviously the AFL community got around me and that was awesome, but it isn’t about me now … it’s about a way bigger picture.

“It’s not about the comments either. Those people … I don’t care about people who have cars as their cover photos.”

Here’s a pic of me at work... think about this before your derogatory comments, animals. pic.twitter.com/68aBVVbTTj

— Tayla Harris (@taylaharriss) March 19, 2019

Ms Harris said she was in a relatively favourable position to speak out publicly and was making a stand on behalf of people more vulnerable.

“There’s people in this particular incident (that) may have experienced something to do with sexual assault or something like that would be much more affected,” she said.

Bizarrely relevant to the @taylaharriss photo furore.... this photo was published 30 years ago yesterday. To the VERY DAY. Bronwyn Bishop in the Weekend Aus, 18/19 March, 1989 pic.twitter.com/lqahMlzpv6

— Annabel Crabb (@annabelcrabb) March 19, 2019

“Those are the people who this could help a little bit … or maybe even deter people from making comments like that or even suggestive comments, that’s all I can do.

“It’s not about me anymore, it’s so much bigger. We’re not talking about the trolls right now we’re talking about a whole bigger picture, this is society now.”

🙌🏻🙌🏻💪🏻💪🏻 #Fthehaters pic.twitter.com/wkaGFzncZ2

— Patrick Dangerfield (@dangerfield35) March 19, 2019

Ms Harris said while she didn’t want to give oxygen to trolls, further action needed to be taken.

“I can see in profile pictures who may have said something, they’ve got kids, daughters or women in their photos even … and that is the stuff I’m worried about.

“These comments I saw were sexual abuse, if you can call it that because it was repulsive and it made me uncomfortable,” she said.

“Whether its Victoria Police, whatever it is, need to at least contact these people or some sort of warning, Facebook delete them, something needs to happen.

“Because we can talk about it as much as we want but they’re not listening and they’re probably smiling about it, that we’re talking about it. So something needs to go further I think.”

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan. Picture: AAP

AFL chief hits out

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said online trolls need to be held accountable for what they say online.

“I just think people need to be accountable for their own actions and on social media it’s challenging to monitor it all,” he said.

“But I think this accountability by the public, the people who made the comments, is a great take out of today.”

Mr McLachlan said he hoped what people took away from the ordeal was an appreciation of Harris’ athletic prowess.

“It is a remarkable photo … it shows a great athlete at her most powerful, doing what she does which is the kick the ball 50 metres,” he said.

“Which is hopefully the takeaway, that Tayla Harris is a great athlete.”