Monica Lewinsky steps back into public limelight and receives abuse on Twitter

Monica Lewinsky, the former White House intern whose affair with then US president Bill Clinton led to his impeachment, returned to public life on Monday, giving her first speech in 13 years and joining Twitter.

 

 

 

 

In an emotional address at Forbes’ inaugural Under 30 summit in Philadelphia that recalled the 1998 sex scandal with Clinton, the 41-year-old brunette announced a campaign to end online bullying.

Lewinsky told a packed auditorium that she became one of the earliest victims of cyber-bullying after she “fell in love” with Clinton.

“I was Patient Zero, the first person to have their reputation completely destroyed worldwide via the Internet.” - Monica Lewinsky

During the address, she spoke of her shame, depression and of harbouring suicidal thoughts after news of the 1998 sex scandal broke.

She said she was motivated to campaign against cyber-bullying by the 2010 suicide of an 18-year-old New Jersey freshman who was haunted online after being secretly filmed kissing another man.

“Having survived myself, what I want to do now is help other victims of the shame game survive, too,” she said.

“I want to put my suffering to good use and give purpose to my past.”

Within hours of joining the microblogging service, she racked up more than 18,000 followers. 

Some of the abuse which she received when she joined Twitter showed that she has some ways to go in her fight against cyber-bullying.

 

Photo: Screengrab/Twitter

 

 

Source: AFP, Twitter