Gareth Southgate and Marcus Rashford back online safety overhaul after Lionesses abuse

Chilling research has revealed that 23 of the 25 female players in the history of the Lionesses team - who won the European Championship trophy this summer - received sexist hate from internet trolls during the tournament

Research revealed that 23 members of the Lionesses team had been victims of gender-based abuse before or during the European Championships (

Image: Getty Images)

Dozens of sports stars including Gareth Southgate, Marcus Rashford, Lucy Bronze and Virgil van Dijk have called on the government to better protect women and girls online.

Chilling research has revealed that 23 of the 25 players in the history of the Lionesses team - which won the European Championship trophy this summer - received sexist hate from internet trolls during the tournament.

Now the government is being urged not to water down its online safety bill and make violence against women and girls a priority alongside terrorism and child sexual abuse .

Since taking office, Prime Minister Liz Truss has said that "tweaks" may be needed to the bill to protect free speech.

Now 60 stars have put their names on an open letter calling for tougher legislation against online violence and hate against women and girls.

UK charity Glitch, which campaigns against online abuse, and EE Hope United have called on the government to take strong action.

Gareth Southgate and Marcus Rashford are among 60 stars to have signed an open letter (

Picture:

UEFA via Getty Images)

Their letter states: "During the tournament and during the tournament, HateLab identified that 23 of the 25 team members received online sexist hate, the kind that cannot be printed here."

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He continues: 'We believe the new government must pass the entire Online Safety Bill and deliver on its promise 'to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online ".

"We believe lawmakers should go further, designating violence against women and girls as a priority harm in the bill, alongside terrorism and child pornography, and aligning the Police Strategic Requirements Bill."

He warns that abuse can prevent people from participating in public life, from being able to express themselves...