Disclaimer: This story talks about online harassment and hate messages received by individuals and may contain offensive wording. 

On the Women Tell All episode of this season of The Bachelor, there was a segment regarding the harassment and threats that the women on the show have received. There were screenshots of the messages and tears were shed, but the reality is words do hurt and they can truly take a toll on a person. 

Rachel Lindsey, a previous Bachelorette, discussed the issue of online hate and harassment. She discussed what she received while she was the Bachelorette, along with what women on Peter’s season have seen. She showed the messages that had been sent to individuals followed by a moment of silence to allow for the message to really sink in with the viewers. 

“I feel like you guys hear us talk about the hate that we receive, but you have no idea what it is,” Lindsay said. “The only way I can actually make you feel it is for you to see it, so I want to start out by reading some of these messages that these women have received.”

Messages shown contained the following: “You’re useless.” “You’re an emotional stupid b****” and even as bad as “Go kill yourself.”

Those comments are said by individuals who are hurting others and hiding behind screens. I don’t know about you, but I think the gap between in-person confrontation to hiding behind electronics has to be put to a stop. There is zero reason for not being able to confront someone face-to-face. Chances are the hurtful comments would not be said if there was an association with who said it. 

Conversations are a lot easier to be resolved when discussing an issue in person because emotions are likely to not grow in anger or frustration, but rather grow in understanding and compromise. 

I have been hurt by individuals hiding behind screens, and I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t say that I have hid behind my screen to have a conversation I didn’t want to have. But in today’s society, we need to be aware that our intentions behind our words may be interpreted in a different manner by others. 

We have to be the ones who put an end to this form of harassment. We are the generation that started it, therefore it is on us to be the ones who end it. Life is hard as a young adult. There is zero reason for us to be tearing each other down when we are all doing the best we can in each of our own individual circumstances. 

The part that gets me about these comments towards these women is chances are they are from total strangers! That is not okay. There is absolutely no need to say these things to anyone ever, nonetheless someone you don’t know. 

“Clearly what we’re talking about isn’t criticism. This is hate,” Chris Harrison, the host of The Bachelor/Bachelorette said. 

Be aware of what you are saying, and why you are saying it. There is no need to tear someone down because we are all doing the best we can. Messages from those hiding behind a screen are often times more hurtful than having a face to face conversation. Be the one to change this mindset because it needs to change.