Chloe Madeley Thinks Online Rape Threats Don't Fall Under 'Freedom Of Speech', Posts Lengthy Statement After Vile Twitter Abuse | HuffPost

Chloe Addresses Rape Threats In Lengthy Statement

Daniel Welsh— The Huffington Post UK

|

Chloe Madeley has posted a statement addressing the rape threats she’s recently been receiving on Twitter, claiming that threatening someone does not constitute “freedom of speech”.

SEE MORE:

Last week, Chloe’s father Richard Madeley revealed that he would be going to the police over the Twitter abuse his daughter had been on the receiving end of, following her mum Judy Finnigan’s controversial comments about convicted rapist Ched Evans.

The news Richard would be taking legal action against the offending Twitter trolls provoked ridicule from some critics, including Katie Hopkins, who suggested that Chloe should toughen up and accept that online abuse is par for the course when you’re on TV.

Chloe Madeley

Chloe has now tweeted a lengthy statement on her own page, claiming that she’s aware she isn’t the “first person to be trolled”, but admitting that she doesn’t think “freedom of speech” covers threatening somebody online.

In the tweet, she explains that she has been receiving Twitter abuse for as long as she has been using social media, but now feels the threats of sexual abuse have “crossed the line” into “criminal behaviour”.

She also calls for reform in the Communications Act, which she claims is outdated because it was made official in a time before social media had become “the most influential and powerful voice of the people”.

Chloe with her parents, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan

Chloe first began to receive threats of rape after her mum suggested, during her debut appearance on ‘Loose Women’, that Ched’s sexual assault on a 19-year-old girl was “non-violent”, which she later publicly apologised for, following a massive backlash.

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan

Romantic Novelists' Association Awards - London(01 of25)

Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley attend the Romantic Novelists' Association Awards at the RAF Club, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday February 26, 2013. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire (credit:PA)

Romantic Novelists' Association Awards - London(02 of25)

Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley attend the Romantic Novelists' Association Awards at the RAF Club, London. (credit:PA)

Richard and Judy's Book Club launch - London(03 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan during a photocall for Richard and Judy's Book Club launch, at St Pancras Station in central London. (credit:PA)

Richard and Judy's Book Club launch - London(04 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan during a photocall for Richard and Judy's Book Club launch, at St Pancras Station in central London. (credit:PA)

Richard and Judy bookclub(05 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan celebrate the 1st birthday of their book club, at the Haymarket Hotel in London. (credit:PA)

Richard and Judy bookclub(06 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan celebrate the 1st birthday of their book club, at the Haymarket Hotel in London. (credit:PA)

Spring Book Club launch - London(07 of25)

Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley unveil the eight new titles of their Spring Book Club, exclusively with WHSmith at the Soho Hotel in London. (credit:PA)

Spring Book Club launch - London(08 of25)

Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley with author Rosamund Lupton (centre) unveil the eight new titles of their Spring Book Club, exclusively with WHSmith at the Soho Hotel in London. (credit:PA)

Richard and Judy's Book Club launch - London(09 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan during a photocall for Richard and Judy's Book Club launch, at St Pancras Station in central London. (credit:PA)

Richard And Judy Reveal Book Club Titles - Photocall(10 of25)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 05: Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley unveil eight new titles for their Spring Book Club at the Soho Hotel on January 5, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

Richard and Judy's Book Club launch - London(11 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan during a photocall for Richard and Judy's Book Club launch, at St Pancras Station in central London. (credit:PA)

Tony Blair - Granada TV's Richard and Judy Show - London(12 of25)

Labour leader Tony Blair joins Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan on Granada TV's Richard and Judy Show, in London today (Thursday). (credit:PA)

TV Awards(13 of25)

Good Morning tv presenters Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley with their National Television Award at The Royal Albert Hall in London. (credit:PA)

Breathing Life Awards 2005 - Royal Lancaster Hotel(14 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. (credit:PA)

Harry Potter Premiere(15 of25)

TV presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan arrive for world premiere of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone with their children Jack and Chloe at the Odeon Leicester Square in London. (credit:PA)

SHOWBIZ MORE4(16 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan arrives for the More4 launch party at the Shunt Vaults. (credit:PA)

The National Television Awards 2004(17 of25)

TV presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan arrive for the 10th Anniversary National Television Awards 2004 held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. (credit:PA)

Galaxy British Book Awards 2009(18 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan arrive for the Galaxy British Book Awards 2009 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, central London. (credit:PA)

Art Garfunkel in concert(19 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan relax before the Art Garfunkel performs a concert on the lake of Kenwood House in Hampstead Heath, North London. (credit:PA)

Richard and Judy - Women in Film and Television Awards(20 of25)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan arrive for the Women In Film and Television Awards, held at the London Hilton, Park Lane, central London. (credit:PA)

JK Rowling on Richard & Judy show(21 of25)

Author JK Rowling (right) gives a rare live interview on the Richard (Madeley) and Judy (Finnigan) Programme on Channel 4, at the Cactus TV studios in south London. (credit:PA)

JK Rowling on Richard & Judy show(22 of25)

Author JK Rowling (left) gives a rare live interview on the Richard (Madeley) and Judy (Finnigan) Programme on Channel 4, at the Cactus TV studios in south London. (credit:PA)

Richard and Judy Vodofone Simply Launch(23 of25)

Television hosts Richard Madeley and Judy Finigan launch a new mobile phone by Vodafone aimed at people who don't need any extras on their phone. Vodafone's new model is pitched at customers aged 35 and above who are confused by the array of functions available on other models. Designed for users who solely want to make phone calls and send text messages, the Vodafone Simply offers only the most basic features. (credit:PA)

Pioneer British Academy Television Awards - Theatre Royal(24 of25)

TV presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. (credit:PA)

The Nutcracker - St Martin's Lane Hotel(25 of25)

Richard and Judy. (credit:PA)

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK | FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

Suggest a correction

|

What's Hot

Not Checking This WiFi Setting Is Like 'Leaving Your Front Door Open' To Hackers

Blow For Rishi Sunak As New Poll Gives Labour Huge Lead Ahead Of Local Elections

Forget 10,000 Steps A Day — This Is The Number You Should Focus On Instead

Tory Voters Back Angela Rayner Over Council House Row