Mia Fevola reveals sickening online abuse over AFL relationship
The daughter of AFL great Brendan Fevola has called out online trolls after exposing the disgusting extent of abuse she's been receiving on a regular basis.
In March, Mia Fevola and Western Bulldogs draftee Jamarra Ugle-Hagan had the AFL world talking after going public with their relationship via a series of photos on Instagram.
SCANDALOUS: AFL great spills on brutal impact of infamous affair
'RIDICULOUS': AFL fans seethe over suspension 'disgrace'
CLASSIC: Collingwood steps up ugly feud with cheeky banner message
However, the relationship also saw the 21-year-old Fevola targeted by online trolls, who frequently filled the comments sections of her social media posts with misogynistic and hurtful messages.
The 21-year-old has dated two other AFL players in the past, with trolls using that as fuel to regularly 'slut-shame' and criticise her romantic endeavours.
Fed up with the constant abuse from online haters, Fevola on Tuesday took to Instagram to call out those responsible, saying that she's "sick of staying silent".
"Every single day I wake up to messages like this. I dread checking my phone because I know what messages and comments await me," she wrote, alongside a collage of shocking examples.
"I now don't check my phone in the morning because whenever I do, it ruins my day. It's been months of this. I'm so sick of staying silent and hoping that it will just eventually die off."
Mia made an impassioned plea for the trolls to "remain silent" if they have nothing positive to say.
In March, the 21-year-old felt the need to speak out abuse some of the abuse she'd been receiving on the same day March 4 Justice rallies against sexual assault and toxic masculinity were taking place around Australia.
She called out a specific comment left on one of her posts.
"Wow we’re slut shaming now, today of all days where hundreds & thousands of women across the nation marched for the right to be safe wherever they are & with whomever they are with, be it on a social scale or professional, this is precisely the toxic masculinity & culture we’re up against, you should be a shame (sic) of yourself for this comment," she wrote.
Dad calls out disgraceful double standards
Brendan Fevola also hit out at the disgusting treatment of his daughter on his Melbourne radio programme, Fifi, Fev & Nick.
"I’ve just read an article on news.com.au saying Mia Fevola’s been slut-shamed after going public with her new boyfriend. As a father that hurts a bit, to read that," he said at the time.
"Blokes can do whatever they want,” he said. “They can go and date girls and no one judges them. It’s a lad thing. But as soon as a girl does it …
“Mia’s been with a couple of football players. That’s OK. People date tradies. That’s their profession.
“Now she’s met this other guy, Jamarra. Great kid. Young boy. And they started dating before he even started playing football. He wasn’t drafted at all.
“Online yesterday, all the trolls that come out and pot people, and the key board warriors who are slut shaming my daughter — it’s just not on.
"As soon as she goes out and does something like that and posts a picture, you get idiots behind a keyboard - mostly men - hammering her.
"When we were 21, we were doing whatever we wanted. He's a great kid, she's a great girl, she's smart, she's got her own business, she studies, she's got a degree, she can do what she wants.
"It just pisses me off that people can write that and say vile things online about any girl, not just Mia."
with agencies
Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness:
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.