EMMA LOUISE JONES has told how taking her puppy for a walk turned into a terrifying ordeal.
The BBC presenter took to Twitter to recount her story.
On what should have been routine dog walks, she revealed how a man repeatedly stopped her to ask to take pictures of her – as well as making requests the presenter chose not to go into.
Emma said the repeated harassment left her feeling “uncomfortable” and urged people witnessing similar events to help those in “uncomfortable interactions.”
On Twitter the football presenter wrote: “I’ve taken my puppy on the same walk near my house the last few days & the same man has repeatedly stopped me to tell me he wants to take photos of me (along with other stuff that I won’t mention here).
“This makes women/girls feel uncomfortable & I would urge anyone who sees what looks like an uncomfortable interaction to not just ignore it and walk past.
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“You don’t always have to intervene, but even just having the presence of someone else nearby can be reassuring.”
Emma, 33, joined the BBC in 2021.
She works as the presenter on MOTDx and on ViaPlay
The popular presenter, who has amassed a following of nearly 337,000 on Twitter, made her name on Leeds TV.
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However, she has unfortunately had to deal with a number of hideous online trolls.
In one instance she brilliantly shut down one vile comment by posting a screenshot of the tweet alongside the caption: “Alexa, what does a virgin look like?”
How you can get help
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
