England and Chelsea forward Lauren James has described social media abuse as "mentally draining" but says it drives her to prove her critics wrong.
Over the past year, James has faced severe racial abuse online, affecting her both at the club and international levels, sometimes forcing her to step away from the spotlight.
James said: "When it does happen, I just try to filter out what I see. There is a lot of negativity in what people post on social, the remarks they make or statements they put out. It can be very hurtful."
"But, for me, it’s the messages of positivity online or from the people around me that will always shine through and rise above the hate. It’s never unnoticed and always appreciated."
She added: "It’s never easy or very pleasant, obviously. It does take a toll and can be mentally draining. But what I would say is that it doesn’t affect my performance. In fact, it drives me more to prove those people wrong and show them who I am and who I stand for."
Following Chelsea's 4-1 loss to Arsenal, James became a target after an incident with Arsenal's Lia Walti. Former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes condemned the abuse, calling it "disgusting" and "racial profiling," and noting it left James "not in a good place."
