B.C. victim of cyber-bullying commits suicide

kdotc · Oct 14, 2012

VANCOUVER—A 15-year-old girl who posted a video on YouTube about being cyber-bullied to the point of depression has committed suicide — a tragic ending that has sparked online outrage and a message from B.C. Premier Christy Clark.

Amanda Todd first posted her video in September in which she used flash cards to tell her story about crying every night and suffering anxiety, depression and panic disorder.

In short phrases, Todd explained how she and friends were playing on a camcorder and posting pictures online when she was in Grade 7. She was urged to “flash. So I did. 1 year later I got a msg on Facebook . . . Don’t know how he knew mee. It said. If you don’t put on a show for me I will send ur boobs. He knew my address, school, relatives, friends, family name.”

Todd said during Christmas break one year she received a knock on her door and it was the police telling her family that a photo of her had been circulated.

The family moved but Todd said she couldn’t go out of the house because her anxiety got worse. A year passed and the cyber-bully came back with a new list of her friends and her school. Her even made a Facebook page, Todd said.

“My boobs were his profile pic. Cried every night. Lost all my friends and respect people had for me,” she said through the flash cards.

A school board official confirmed Todd killed herself Wednesday.

On Twitter, a #RIPAmanda account had hundreds of followers posting their outrage and grief over the girl’s suicide.

Simon Fraser University criminologist Brenda Morrison, an expert on bullying and its impact in schools, said Thursday that not enough has been done to help young people being bullied online.

Jennifer Breakspear, executive director for Options for Sexual Health, the organization previously known as Planned Parenthood, said she was shocked to hear of the girl’s death and distressed to know that Todd’s suicide was not unique.

“It underscores how painful and how severely traumatizing cyber-bullying is,” she said. “People sit in front of a computer screen and feel that isolation. No one is sitting with them making them feel safe and this nastiness online is hurting people so deeply.”

Premier Christy Clark posted a video Thursday about Todd’s death saying no one deserves to be bullied.

“Bullying has to stop. Every child, everyone needs to be able to feel safe at school,” she said. “When we send our kids to school, we need to know they’re going to come home safe.”

Merlyn Horton, the executive director of Safe Online Outreach Society, a non-profit organization that teaches Internet safety to children, youth and their parents, said many victims go unnoticed.

“She put this video up in September and no one responded to it in a way that helped her enough so this didn’t happen,” said Horton. “And it’s heartbreaking because when you look at the video you see how many others pop up beside it with dozens of other kids expressing their struggles. Kids are falling through this very big hole.”

Coquitlam School district spokeswoman Cheryl Quinton said Thursday that Todd was a grade 10 student at CABE, the Coquitlam Alternate Basic Education school, and a team has been brought in to help students and staff.

Quinton said the school principal called Todd a “well-connected student” and that the school has a code of conduct against harassment or bullying.

Todd was receiving help from the school and the community, said Quinton, after her YouTube video became known to school officials.
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http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1270262--b-c-victim-of-cyber-bullying-commits-suicide
[video=youtube;vOHXGNx-E7E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=vOHXGNx-E7E[/video]

cailini · Oct 14, 2012

Wow, the internet is really a hostile place for young women.
The whole tits or GTFO attitude in male dominate spaces must be really damaging to the psyche of these young girls who are already so impressionable and lost.

Grade 7... That means she was probably only 12 or 13. Killed herself at 15. What a loss. RIP.

The cyber bullying and real life bullying were so horrendous. It's unbelievable how mean kids can be.

ck198888 · Oct 14, 2012

Why isn't there any adult out there help her? Bullying is a result of many suicides. I think the law should be serious on those who are a bullied...even they are under age. Society should looks into the background why these kids bullied others. I personally think it all came down to the parents/ guardians, who don't teach their kids to be kind or have respect to society.

How many more death will there be to stop the bullying?

turbobenx · Oct 14, 2012

wow, this is sad...like real sad.....the age just made it sadder.......

[N] · Oct 14, 2012

adults have to monitor their kids activities on the internet. also her "friends" are fucking stupid or naive cause of their age only 7th grade and what the fuck? the person who was "bullying" her if older should get arrested for child pornography.

shinobi · Oct 14, 2012

[video=youtube;umzWyuBiHNI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umzWyuBiHNI[/video]

not related but still on the subject of bullying

cailini · Oct 14, 2012

And even after her death the tormenting continues.

According to The Star, "One picture [posted on the R.I.P. Amanda Todd facebook page] shows the silhouette of a female body hanging dead along with the mocking phrase: 'Todding'"

People are also making memes about her:

Why are people so cruel?

jtommy87 · Oct 29, 2012

the world around is changing so much that's hurting the cruel and crazy these days. The parent/ friend should have support her!

B.C. victim of cyber-bullying commits suicide

kdotc 안녕하세요빅뱅K-Dragon입니다

cailini Well-Known Member

ck198888 Well-Known Member

turbobenx .........

[N] RATED [ ]

shinobi PA ='(

cailini Well-Known Member

jtommy87 Well-Known Member