Jess Carter, the 28-year-old England defender, revealed the extent of her distress after being bombarded with racist messages online during Euro 2025.
The former Birmingham City and Chelsea centre-back claimed she was too scared to leave her hotel room in Switzerland in case the abusers were attending matches with her team. The abuse included derogatory references to Carter's race and suggested people from brown-skinned backgrounds were "murderers" and "groomers".
Carter stated that female players are facing an increasing amount of online sexism and homophobic abuse, which has made it difficult for them to express themselves without fear of backlash. She also noted that the women's game is losing its "family-friendly feel" as more people start questioning their identities.
She expressed concern about police and social media companies not working together effectively to tackle online abuse, stating that they are operating on different criteria for what constitutes abuse. The former centre-back praised her teammates for rallying around her during the tournament but highlighted the need for greater support.
Carter's case highlights the ongoing struggle of female footballers to navigate the complexities of social media while maintaining their identities and sense of self-worth. The 52-cap England international moved from Chelsea to Gotham FC in the US last year, citing a better environment for players.
The former Birmingham City and Chelsea centre-back claimed she was too scared to leave her hotel room in Switzerland in case the abusers were attending matches with her team. The abuse included derogatory references to Carter's race and suggested people from brown-skinned backgrounds were "murderers" and "groomers".
Carter stated that female players are facing an increasing amount of online sexism and homophobic abuse, which has made it difficult for them to express themselves without fear of backlash. She also noted that the women's game is losing its "family-friendly feel" as more people start questioning their identities.
She expressed concern about police and social media companies not working together effectively to tackle online abuse, stating that they are operating on different criteria for what constitutes abuse. The former centre-back praised her teammates for rallying around her during the tournament but highlighted the need for greater support.
Carter's case highlights the ongoing struggle of female footballers to navigate the complexities of social media while maintaining their identities and sense of self-worth. The 52-cap England international moved from Chelsea to Gotham FC in the US last year, citing a better environment for players.
. I mean, Jess Carter was just trying to focus on her game and be herself online like everyone else, but nope, racist messages come pouring in and she's too scared to even leave her hotel room 
. It's like, are we seriously living in a world where women can't even express themselves without fear of abuse? 
And what's worse is that the people who do this don't even hide their faces 
. The fact that police and social media companies aren't working together effectively to tackle online abuse just adds insult to injury 
. We need better support systems in place for women like Jess Carter, especially when it comes to navigating the complex world of social media 
. It's time we take a stand against this toxic behavior and create a safer space for everyone! 
. Like what's going on with these people? Can't they just leave the ladies alone? She's playing football, not stirring up drama! The fact that she's too scared to go out because of her teammates and fans is just heartbreaking 
. And can we talk about how messed up it is when people think it's okay to be racist/homophobic/sexist just because they're anonymous online? 
These abusers need to get educated, not protected by anonymity. The fact that Jess has to deal with all this while trying to enjoy her game is a total shame 
... but at the same time, I kinda get why she wouldn't want to engage with people who are being really hateful 
But, on the other hand, Jess should just ignore them and keep on being her awesome self, you know? 
I mean, it's crazy that she's having to be so careful about how she reacts to online abuse... shouldn't players have a way to express themselves without fear of getting roasted? 
And honestly, if more people were like Jess's teammates and stood up for her, that'd make me think twice about the whole situation 
. Still, though, I feel so bad for Jess and all the other female footballers who are dealing with this kind of crap... 
we need more support for our female athletes, they deserve to be treated with respect & kindness online 
I'm sending all my love & positive vibes to her & her teammates 
. It's like, can't we just respect each other? 
. We need better support & more effective action from police & social media companies 
. Every woman deserves to feel safe & supported online 
. It's not cool that she had to be too scared to leave her hotel room 
because of all those horrible messages 
. We need to create a safer space for women in football and beyond to express themselves without fear of hate 
. Like, can't we just chill? Jess Carter's story breaks my heart. I mean, being scared to leave her hotel room because of online trolls is just unacceptable. And the things she was saying to her? Absolutely vile 
. It's not okay to target someone's race or identity like that.
. We need to create a culture where everyone feels welcome and respected 
. Whatever it is, I'm just glad she's speaking out and hoping that her story will help make a change 
. female players are already under pressure to perform & maintain their image, now they have to deal with this extra stress. i think the main issue here is the lack of accountability from social media companies. they need to step up their game & work with the authorities to create a safer online environment 
. anyway, more support for these women, like mental health resources or safe spaces to express themselves, is way overdue 
It's not cool at all. I've seen some weird stuff online too, but like, not as bad as what she had to deal with. Does anyone know if the police and social media companies are doing anything to help stop this? Like, they need to work together more. And what's up with these racist messages? Can't we just be kind to each other? 
We need to do better to support these women and create a safe space for them to express themselves without fear of backlash. 
They're supposed to be competing, not getting roasted online 
. And it's not just her, like, female footballers are already dealing with so much pressure and scrutiny, do we really need to add online abuse to the mix? 
.