Jamaican runner Junelle Bromfield has made the public aware that she believes Jamaica is no longer safe for her to return to since she’s been receiving threats and hate mail from angry Jamaicans who believe she is disloyal to the island after dishing dirt on her fellow athletes to her boyfriend and US sprinter Noah Lyles.

In a candid interview on Sim Soul Sessions, Jamaican quarter-miler Bromfield shared that she felt compelled to deactivate her social media after receiving negative messages from some fellow Jamaicans. While she longs to visit her family back home, she admits to fearing the potential consequences of her return, emphasising that she’s waiting for the right moment to make the trip.

The 26-year-old has been deemed a traitor to her country after her boyfriend, Lyles revealed private information concerning her fellow Jamaican athletes Elaine Thompson-Hera and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and their purported tumultuous relationship. Bromfield stated earlier in the year via Instagram that she has been receiving some hate on her socials, stating: “I have been getting cyberbullied for weeks.” She said the hate had taken a toll on her mental health.

While I cannot dare claim that Bromfield has not been psychologically impacted by cyberbullying, since it is a very real issue being faced by many around the world, I feel a fair amount of confidence saying her return to Jamaica would not result in her safety being negatively impacted.

With all things considered, Bromfield, you are fine…relax.

Since the advent of social media in the early 1990s, cyberbullying has been an unfortunate symptom of the internet.

The fact of the matter is that people have a right to their feelings, and social media gives them space to express those feelings tactfully and otherwise. Now, how much of it are you going to sponge up as anything more than baseless ‘Internet badness’?

Internet threats can develop into physical threats, but when you look at the nature of the situation, people are simply upset that you dished information to Lyles (who they find a hard time liking because of his perpetual arrogance) about their favourite Thompson-Herah and Fraser-Pryce

Take this commenter’s view into perspective:

It seems unreasonable and a little sensational that Bromfield would honestly believe the entire Jamaica is out to get her because they voiced their disdain for her and Lyles.

Bromfield says she has detached from social media—this is great news, by all means, protect your peace.

But, to spread the narrative that Jamaicans are out to get you is certainly farfetched. I wish her all the best in her mental health recovery.

Come home, you will be fine.