Emily Atack: Asking For It? release date revealed for new BBC documentary

Emily Atack is to front a BBC documentary tackling online sexual harassment.

Titled Emily Atack: Asking For It? , the one-off hour show will air on BBC Two and stream on iPlayer.

The BBC say it will follow Emily as she “[opens] up her life, and her DMs, to the public as she attempts to understand why she is sexually harassed online on a daily basis.”

Emily Atack: Asking For It? will air on Tuesday, 31 January on BBC Two at 9PM.

The broadcaster shares: “Reflecting on how this affects her own sense of identity and confidence, she will explore whether enough is being done to protect young women and girls online, and what needs to change.

“The film will follow Emily as she continues the debate that took her to parliament in February 2022 to try and make cyber-flashing illegal as she explores whether it’s the law that can change things, or if the focus needs to be elsewhere. She’ll look to men themselves, trying to understand the psychology behind this behaviour and she will try to speak with some of the men directly who send sexually explicit content.

“Emily wants to understand how masculinity itself and the pressures it puts on men might have a role to play, and how as a society we all may have to think very differently if we want real sustainable change.

“She will also open up about things that have happened in her own life, and her experiences of attracting unwanted sexual attention from a very young age. She will speak to her family about this for the very first time and reflect on how these incidents have shaped her.”

Emily Atack said: “Over the last two and a half years I’ve been speaking out about my own personal experiences of online sexual harassment. Within that time, one thing has become clear, I’m not alone.

“With this documentary, I am hoping to find answers to the many questions I’ve been asking myself my entire life, and I hope it will go on to help thousands of others too. It’s been wonderful working with Little Gem and the BBC on a project that is so incredibly close to my heart.”

Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment & Events, added: “We are delighted to have this important and timely film with Emily, looking at whether enough is being done to protect young women and girls online and exploring Emily’s own personal experiences.

“It’s an incredibly brave undertaking for her and we appreciate her honesty and openness. We have no doubt that the film will contribute to a very important conversation.”