Emily Atack fans say new BBC documentary should be ‘compulsory viewing’

Former ‘Inbetweeners’ star praised as ‘brave’ and ‘engaging’ in programme that sets out to explore how misogynist abuse has been normalised

Emily Atack is being praised by critics for her “provocative” new BBC documentary tackling sexual harassment.

In Emily Atack: Asking For It?,the former Inbetweeners star discusses her own experiences of sexual harassment and sets out to learn how something “so grotesque, aggressive, malicious and violent” has evolved.

During the programme, she shared a number of misogynist social media messages she has received, including rape threats, in an attempt to understand how abuse has been normalised online.

She also spoke to a sexual violence and abuse councillor and online safety campaigners, as she asked why harassment has been normalised for so long.

TV critics praised the 33-year-old for asking important questions and doing a “very brave job” on a difficult subject.

“Emily Atack, normally seen as a cheerful TV personality and comedian, did a very brave job here in overcoming deep embarrassment about her daily reality,” read The Times’ review.

“The programme's title was provocative... Asking for it? You wanted to shout at the TV: 'No!”'

In a three-star review, The Guardian described the documentary as “a truly sickening look at the torrent of sexual images online”.

“Atack is a warm and engaging presenter who can laugh at the hideous photos and messages when she is with friends, such as the writers on her ITV2 comedy show, but she admits to using humour as a coping mechanism,” the review said.

The Telegraph’s review said it was positive to see Atack come to terms with the fact that the harassment she received was not her fault.

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“It was lovely to see (her) realise she's not responsible for her own abuse and turn the focus back on the flashers,” the review said.

“She calmly messaged them, asking them to explain their behaviour. But, of course, the cowards either vanished or intensified the abuse.”

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Viewers also praised the show on social media, with many suggesting it should be “compulsory viewing” for teenage boys and girls.

“Emily Atack is so brave. I don’t know one woman who hasn’t been sexually harassed in some way, on or offline, and, despite the psychological damage it causes, such vile behaviour is totally normalised,” one viewer said. “We need change in policy, in attitudes, and in accountability.”

The popular All On the Board Twitter account tweeted: “We support all those who have received and continue to receive unsolicited explicit photos and are victims of sexual harassment and online abuse. So much more needs to be done to put a stop to it.

“Thank you Emily Atack for raising awareness.”

“We take SO many precautions; safe routes home, private social media, the ‘right’ clothes, don’t be too nice or too standoffish - but sexual harassment happens anyway because WE AREN’T THE PROBLEM,” one fan tweeted.

“It shouldn’t be on victims to choose between blocking or ignoring sex pests. Men need to do better and we need to pass that on to the next [generation],” another viewer agreed.

Atack has previously campaigned against cyberflashing, where individuals send unsolicited explicit images online, and spoke about the issue in Parliament last February.

In March last year, the UK Government announced that cyberflashing would become a new criminal offence with perpetrators facing up to two years behind bars.

Emily Atack: Asking For It? is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Additional reporting by Press Association