Rachel Riley details ‘invasive and disgusting’ messages she receives from social media ‘perverts’

Rachel Riley has detailed the ‘invasive and disgusting’ misogynistic abuse she is sent on Instagram.

The Countdown presenter, 36, who has over half a million followers, has said she receives dozens of unsolicited sexual videos and images in her direct messages.

She revealed that strangers have also tried to call her through the app and have sent mocked up images of her face on porn stars carrying out sex acts.  

According to the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, Rachel’s ordeal is not uncommon on the platform, that is not doing enough to protect women. 

The television presenter who is an ambassador for the CCDH explained: ‘It really makes me not want to go into my DMs at all because it’s revolting. It’s astounding to know that strangers are sending porn – it empowers them to know that it’s gone to your inbox.

‘On Instagram, anyone can privately send you something that should be illegal. If they did it on the street, they’d be arrested.’ 

She continued: ‘For women in the public eye, receiving a constant stream of rude, inappropriate and even abusive messages to your DMs [direct messages] is unfortunately inevitable, and the fact that this happens away from public view makes it all the more intrusive.

‘Instagram and other platforms have a duty to keep the women who use their sites safe, but at the moment there isn’t enough being done to protect them.’ 

Rachel added that she believes that platforms are not doing enough to stop the inappropriate messages, even when they are reported. 

She said: ‘I just think all social media are not fit to regulate themselves, clearly. They’ve got the technology to identify that this content is revolting, but these users still have the technology to send unsolicited images to you.

‘Teenage girls could receive this stuff while no one else knows because it’s behind closed doors. It’s invasive and disgusting.’  

Researchers were given access to the Instagram accounts of Rachel as well as actress Amber Heard and three other high-profile women.

The study revealed how nine in ten abusive messages sent to participants were ignored despite being reported to Instagram moderators. 

A further one in every 15 messages received over a two-month period broke the company’s rules on abuse and harassment.

The CCDH said findings revealed an ‘epidemic of misogynist abuse’ on Instagram in which abusers felt empowered to send hateful comments without consequence. 

Among those reviewed by researchers were 26 videos sent by one man performing a sex act on himself and another who had sent three images of his penis.

Other accounts sent her 26 unsolicited sexual comments, often late at night and detailing sexual fantasies about her. 

She also received nine fake porn images of herself, including where her head was edited on to a nude model engaging in a sexual act.    

Rachel went on to say that the extreme content she received in direct messages ‘turned her stomach.’ 

Researchers also found that strangers had attempted to video call Rachel on five occasions.   

In total they recorded 254 accounts that sent abuse to participants between December 28 and February 28 but despite being flagged, 227 were still active a month later. 

Instagram said that just because moderators had not disabled an account it did not mean they had not taken action.  

Imran Ahmed, CCDH chief executive, said: ‘Instagram has chosen to side with abusers by negligently creating a culture in which abusers expect no consequences – denying women dignity and their ability to use digital spaces without harassment. 

‘There is an epidemic of misogynist abuse taking place in women’s DMs.’

Cindy Southworth, head of women’s safety at Meta, Instagram’s parent company, said: ‘While we disagree with many of the CCDH’s conclusions, we do agree that the harassment of women is unacceptable. 

‘That’s why we don’t allow gender-based hate or any threat of sexual violence, and last year we announced stronger protections for female public figures.’