Fashion
Online Clothes Sellers Targeted By Creeps With Inappropriate Messages
‘It feels like a violation; you should be able to sell your clothes without getting harassed!
In 2020, clothing sales halved as many stores shut under the government’s lockdown measures in March. Online shopping as an option undeniably witnessed a high surge but not without a pitfall. According to an investigative BBC report, women trying to make additional cash amid lockdown were targeted by creeps who send messages requesting sex, explicit photos, and worn garments.
BBC interviewed sellers on Depop, eBay, Instagram, and Facebook. The cloth sellers revealed the thought-provoking trend of creepy messages became worsen during the lockdown and have even put off many from sharing their products online. One of the women, identified as Sara Faye, has been forced to stop putting photos on Depop due to crude messages. Faye had been asked how many times her products have been worn and if they were dirty.
Sara Faye has been forced to stop putting photos on Depop due to crude messages, asking how many times her products have been worn and if they were dirty
‘During the lockdown, the messages got creepy. Don’t message me on an innocent second-hand website just because you can see a hot girl in the photos. It feels like a violation; you should be able to sell your clothes online without getting harassed.’ Faye explained.
‘During the lockdown, the messages got creepy. Don’t message me on an innocent second-hand website just because you can see a hot girl in the photos’
‘It feels like a violation; you should be able to sell your clothes online without getting harassed’
Another identified as Lynette Peck – the owner of Lovely’s Vintage Emporium claims she gets numerous inappropriate messages weekly and explicit photos sent on Facebook Messenger. ‘I get a lot of messages about the model, especially if there are shirts with close-up images. I had a fetishist asking what shoes smelt like, who wore them, and if I could take a photo of myself wearing them.’ Peck said.
Lynette Peck – the owner of Lovely’s Vintage Emporium, claims she gets numerous inappropriate messages weekly and explicit photos sent on Facebook Messenger
This is Georgia, one of Lynette’s model
‘I had a feti**ist asking what shoes smelt like, who wore them, and if I could take a photo of myself wearing them’
Naomi Edmondson, who owns a lingerie brand named Edge O’Beyond, says they are regularly bombarded by messages from creeps who often request sex. Naomi added: ‘We get so many creepy messages and comments it’s too time-consuming to report them all. A few times, I have felt concerned for safety. We create lingerie to empower women; we don’t welcome the minority of men who think it’s acceptable to send explicit pictures.
Naomi Edmondson, who owns a lingerie brand named Edge O’Beyond, says they are regularly bombarded by messages from creeps who often request sex
‘We create lingerie to empower women; we don’t welcome the minority of men who think it’s acceptable to send explicit pictures’
Nonetheless, Facebook, Depop, eBay, and Instagram have reportedly claimed they all take these kinds of messages seriously while taking action against those who violated policy. Specifically, Facebook, which equally runs Instagram, has built a global safety and security team, including a powerful technology to remove such accounts. Depop also reportedly aims to respond to 95% of inappropriate behavior reports within three hours amid business hours.
