ICC pledges to launch anti-trolling measures to ensure safe space for women on social media

The pledge comes on the back of recent episodes of gender-based digital abuse during the ICC U19 and senior Women's T20 World Cups

On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that it will launch a dedicated in-tournament social media monitoring initiative to ensure the sport's social media channels are a safer space for women to enjoy, free from sexism, misogyny or threats of gender-based violence.

The pledge comes on the back of recent episodes of gender-based digital abuse during the ICC U19 and senior Women's T20 World Cups.

The ICC will work with their members to deliver a plan that will help protect female players and officials from abuse on social media during its global events and will look to implement the program with an in-tournament service that will tackle the problem - combined with an education programme at U19 events.

A host of international stars that featured at the recent ICC Women's T20 World Cup spoke of the ongoing issues they faced online and welcomed the introduction of the program in the future. "I have been subject to a lot of online bullying over the last three years. I have always thought that people should be allowed to have their own opinions but where does one draw the line? I think that ICC pledging to do something about this now is actually going to protect me and also the players around me," South Africa wicket-keeper Sinalo Jafta said.

Pakistan’s Aliya Riaz added: “I welcome this step by the ICC to protect us from online abuse. Online abuse and trolling are amplifying day-by-day and there is an urgent need to deal with it.”

England bowler Kate Cross and rising Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast echoed the sentiments of their contemporaries. "It is really important that we do everything we can to take a stand against online trolls. It is not a problem confined to women's cricket, it is a society-wide thing, but it can often make life online for a female athlete unpleasant and toxic," Ms. Cross said.

Prendergast said: "I am fully in support of the ICC's pledge to minimise the impact of trolls, abuse and aggression in women's cricket. Each of the above has no place in our game and will only have negative impacts on those affected."