Rita Ora and Cara Delevingne have suffered abuse online and the ‘Girls’ singer has admitted that it’s easy to “get into a black hole” while reading negative comments.
Rimmel London and charity The Cybersmile Foundation are taking up arms against online trolls in a global digital campaign called ‘I Will Not Be Deleted’ that’s set to launch on November 12 – and the cosmetics firm’s ambassadors are supporting the initiative after being subjected to internet cruelty themselves.
Both Rita, 27, and Cara, 26, have suffered abuse online and the ‘Girls’ singer has admitted that it’s easy to “get into a black hole” while reading negative comments about yourself.
Speaking to WWD, she said: “I can’t imagine what it’s like for teenagers now.
“You get into a black hole. It’s hard not to read every single comment.
“Nowadays, in the entertainment industry with everyone whom we have lost this year over anxiety and bullying, you just don’t know what people are going through.”
She added that it was important that she and pal Cara – who she turned to for support while experiencing online abuse – made a show of friendship and unity against cyberbullying.
She said: “Back in 2012, our friendship was so public that we were known as RaRa. The tabloids saw two girls who were basically inseparable because we were physically going through being in the limelight together and also witnessing cyberbullying. I’m really happy that I had a friend I could lean on and talk to about it.”
Rimmel plans to create an online space where victims of cyberbullying can receive support and share their experiences and model turned actress Cara believes that this campaign will help victims of cyberbullying to feel comfortable to post what they want.
She said: “The comments are the things that should be deleted, not the posts. No one should have to change who they are because of someone making a comment.
“The people who make the comments are the ones who have to change.”
