Prof. Mary Beard appeared on Newsnight last year arguing over the strain immigration has put on the small town of Boston, in Lincolnshire. She postulated that the stories over the strain to public services induced by the growing number of immigrants were potentially fictitious. The result from the public was a barrage of 'vile misogyny'.

Writing on her Times Blog she said: "My appearance on Question Time prompted a web post that has in the last few days discussed my pubic hair (do I brush the floor with it), whether I need rogering (that comment was taken down, as was the speculation about the capaciousness of my vagina, and the plan to plant a d*** in my mouth)." While this, in some contexts, may seem mere 'harmless banter' and probably the kind of chat you'd find amongst men in a pub over a few pints, when brought out of context and looked at objectively it's far easier to see just how disgusting this kind of misogynist 'banter' really is.

Graeme Archer for the Telegraph writes in defence of Beard saying "Anonymity is the curse of the internet age" and questions, "Why should we put up with it? I don't tolerate children screaming bad language on the bus; why is it permitted on the internet?" Indeed, as Beard notes herself this kind of internet use "shows the classic signs of vile playground bullying."