Edel Coffey: Online abuse and the attitudes that spawn it should exist in the past

"If internet trolls wrote to newspaper letters pages, maybe one letter from the masses of comments would be published. But online, we get to see each and every spurious, half-formed opinion."

Kelly Brook: at the receiving end of online misogyny for years. Pic: Ian West/PA Wire

Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed a looping narrative coming from various women at various stages of their careers in the media. The singer Lizzo spoke passionately on stage about how cruel online trolling can be. At a recent gig, she held up a sign that one of her fans had made.

‘I’m sorry people on Twitter suck,’ it read. ‘You are beautiful and special.’