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‘GoT' star Nathalie Emmanuel says she was flashed when she was just 10, slams 'predatory behavior by men'

'The predatory behavior of men is devastating women and it’s something that is learned young. Women can’t keep screaming about it... there has to come a point where men check themselves and other men and boys for their behavior'

British actress and model Nathalie Emmanuel, who is best known for her role as Missandei in the HBO fantasy series ‘Game of Thrones’, took to Twitter to talk about sexual assault, claiming that she was as young as ten when she was first “flashed” by a man.

In a long Twitter thread, apparently inspired by Sarah Everard, who went missing in London on her way home from a friend's house on March 3, Emmanuel said, “I can think of so many incidents of predatory behavior from men throughout my life.... age 10 or 11... I think that was the first time I was flashed by an adult man.” She further wrote, “I was visiting my grandparents in St Lucia when I was 14 an adult man was harassing me and even after my mum intervened and removed me from the situation he continued to hover and follow.... it was only the presence of my Grandad and his farming machete that made him stop.”

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Emmanuel said after that, “The countless times of having my arse grabbed or a hand up my skirt. When I was like 21, two young teenage boys put their hands up my skirt... it was only when my boyfriend at the time found them and reprimanded them that they stopped finding it funny. I was humiliated.”

She also said, “Being followed is a pretty regular occurrence... whether it is on foot or by men in cars... I’ve had to run into shops so I can feel safe and stifle a panic attack,” adding, “When I became an actress I had a man online for ages sending videos of himself ejaculating onto images of me. It didn’t matter how much I blocked and reported it.... he just started a new profile and continued.”

“The predatory behavior of men is devastating women and it’s something that is learned young. Women can’t keep screaming about it... there has to come a point where men check themselves and other men and boys for their behavior. We are tired,” the British actor wrote. “People will say ‘catcalling or following woman isn’t the same as rape and murder’.... but there is something that applies to all these situations.... A man prioritizing his own desires/proclivities over the safety, peace, dignity, and well-being of a woman.”

She concluded her thread with, “There is an entitlement over women that has been taught because of how sexism and misogyny is so deeply rooted into our society... Yes these acts are not as violent/fatal.... but in my opinion, it stems from the same seed. And it’s time to pull up the weeds,” and, “The 'nOT aLL mEn lot' can not @ me... Thanks. Because my block button finger is warmed up and ready.... This week has been and continues to be a lot. Rest in Peace Sarah... and every woman who’s life and voice was stolen.”

The thread, it appears, was inspired by Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old woman who went missing a week ago in Clapham, south London, on her way home from a friend's house on March 3. BBC reported that human remains were found in woodland in Kent on Wednesday in the search for Everard. A police officer was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and murdering her.

"These are so powerful because each and every woman can relate," Home Secretary Priti Patel said. "Every woman should feel safe to walk on our streets without fear of harassment or violence." Cressida Dick, the head of London's police force, said she and her colleagues were "utterly appalled" at the news that a serving officer had been arrested, saying it had sent waves of "shock and anger" through the public and the police.

"I know Londoners will want to know that it is thankfully incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets," she said. "But I completely understand that despite this, women in London and the wider public, particularly those in the area where Sarah went missing, will be worried and may well be feeling scared."