7AFL is under fire across the sporting world after removing a photo of AFLW star Tayla Harris after it attracted vile comments from trolls.

Warning: Graphic language

“Get back in the kitchen and then on your back in the bedroom”, “She took it, good little b****”, and “Gee would love to see her b**”, are some of the comments regularly directed at female athletes.

A recent study by Plan International Australia has found female athletes attract more than three times the number of negative comments male athletes receive.

More than 26 per cent of the comments sportswomen received were negative, compared to only 8.5 per cent for their male counterparts.

Almost a quarter of negative comments sportswomen received were sexist, referring to traditional gender stereotypes, while more than 20 per cent were belittling of women and derogatory towards women’s sport, others were sexualised and victim blaming.

EXAMPLES

Sexist

Women should be in the kitchen.

Shut up lady, the footy is on.

Get women back to being bare foot and pregnant!!!

I’d like to speak to the man in charge.

Stick to netball you dribbler...

You wanted equal rights sweetheart, don’t cry when it’s too even.

Get back in the kitchen and then on your back in the bedroom.

Go play a women’s sport if you can’t handle the attention.

Belittling

Sorry girls ..... Men do it better....

No interest in this crap sorry but had a look no offence ladies.

It’s like watching grass grow

Seriously, who is even interested in this rubbish?

Sexualised

She took it good little b****

Gee would love to see her b**

Wouldn’t mind getting her in the end zone

I had heard they e** each other

Victim blaming

She knew exactly what she was doing. Plain and simple. Now she must deal with the backlash

that SHE has created for herself

Stop being professional victims.

After some media attention? Well done girl

The report looked at a selection of social media commentary on Facebook posts shared by major sports news broadcasters including: Wide World of Sports, 7 Sport, 10 Sport, Fox Sports and ABC Grandstand.

The abuse of sportswomen has come to light after a photo of Tayla Harris was posted by Channel 7, in March this year. The picture received a number of inappropriate and offensive comments, which led to the photo being taken down, resulting in more backlash.

Channel 7 later reposted the photo with the following statement: “We’re sorry. Removing the photo sent the wrong message.

“Our intention was to highlight @taylaharriss incredible athleticism & we’ll continue to celebrate women’s footy.”

The worrying result of these comments is the impact that it has on the girls and women who are chasing careers in sport.

The online abuse of sportswomen can lead to lower rates of participation in girls and women’s sport, silencing athletes and restricting their involvement in public life and harming mental health and performance.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has found young women engage in significantly less physical activity than young men.

Plan International Australia has recommended some strategies to combat the negative comments: Stronger reporting mechanisms for gender related abuse, including girls in developing technology and challenging harmful gender stereotypes.

The report highlights that sportswomen are not the only athletes to receive negative comments. Sportsmen receive more comments about drug use and cheating.