Irish teen commits suicide after cyber bullying

[Forum-Bot]

A young Irish girl who moved to America with her family committed suicide following a campaign of bullying, both online and offline.

Phoebe Prince moved from County Clare to Massachusetts last year.

Phoebe was targeted by the “popular girls” at her new school, through text messages,email and via Facebook.

Even after she had died, the girls attacked a Facebook page set up as a memorial for her. (The page has since been removed)

Last week, one of the Springfield TV stations sent a crew to South Hadley High to talk to the kids.

One girl was interviewed on camera, and she said what was common knowledge: that bullies were stalking the corridors of South Hadley High.

As soon as the TV crew was out of sight, one of the Mean Girls came up and slammed the girl who had been interviewed against a locker and punched her in the head.

Boston.com

Students from her school held a vigil for her on the 15th of January, the day following her suicide.

Even now, as the story flies around the web via blogs, Digg and forums, many people don’t seem to care about the 15 year old who had her whole life ahead of her.

This story should read “somewhat cute little white girl kills herself, newsworthy because we get to quote lindsay lohans “mean girls” movie in every title” =D   Honestly I don’t give a damn, she’s 15 not 5 - bullying happens everywhere not just in her little MA town, I am from Europe aswell and have seen girls doing way worse than sending messages on some website that you DON’T HAVE TO TO BE ON, and can BLOCK, REPORT AND HAVE BANNED. Not to mention the fact that you can block text aswell.   She seems like a dense one, better she remove herself from the gene pool sooner than later. People get raped and keep living, people get attacked, robbed, beat up every day of their life and keep living, people get some retarded high school sluts picking on them and she wants to kill herself over it? lol please. I would be ashamed to have ever raised a child so weak, she would have never been able to handle life after high school and then college, she wouldn’t last in a job if this is her reaction to kid bullies, just wait until all you kids meet some real bullies.

Nowpublic.com Comment

I hate the idea that bullies are at fault here, it so horribly PC and ignorant. I blame both the girl her parents for not teaching her how to resist a few insults. What ever happened to “sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me” Everyone was bullied at school (except maybe the bullies, but their uncle touched them) and we all have to get over it. Become stronger for it. Life isn’t an easy ride of hugs and love we have to be ready for all the taunts and abuse we get.

I think this is survival of the fittest in action. she wasn’t able so she has been eliminated from the gene pool

Boards.ie User Comment

I find it so sad that this bullshit of bullying and nerds vs jocks vs whoever is still going on.

It happened when my parents were in school, it happened when i was in school and its still happening today.

I wish someone had talked to her, someone had stood up for her or took on those bullies for her. She obviously felt like there was no end to the pain caused by these other kids.

Police are still looking into the incident. The school allegedly faced serious criticism from parents over widespread bullying in the school over many years.

Posted on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:35:28 +0000 at http://www.nerinonline.com/irish-teen-co...r-bullying
Comments: http://www.nerinonline.com/irish-teen-co...g#comments

[Nerin]

State Rep. John W. Scibak talks about pending anti-bullying legislation

[Nerin]

The New York times has an update on the story- 9 teenagers are facing charges over the bullying campaign http://nyti.ms/95WRl6

[Nerin]

The mother of one of the teenagers involved has spoken about the incident http://bit.ly/aMFRgb

[peteraugusts]

This story made me sad.The thing which makes me wonder is the kind of parenting that is taking place that would allow for such bullying. I could be completely wrong, but doesn't it mean that those parents never taught their kids to be nice to other people?

[Nerin]

Another NY Times article, Phoebes last days and the escalating bullying- http://nyti.ms/aEEEzY via mark little on twitter

[Doctor DooM]

My main worry here is that powers that be focus on the cyber not the bullying.

This really has nothing to do with the technologies themselves- the media could have been anything, but the message would always have been delivered.

It's a deep rooted problem and I would bet alot of money the response will be an IT related bandage on a societal bullet hole.

[jade]

This story makes me very sad and also eggs me to stand up to those cowards who think they are smarter by doing such acts. But it is also upon us to not get bogged down by such things.

I think the girl could have simply avoided going online and being harassed.

Jade

[LD 50]

(07-29-2010 10:01 AM)jade Wrote:  This story makes me very sad and also eggs me to stand up to those cowards who think they are smarter by doing such acts. But it is also upon us to not get bogged down by such things.

I think the girl could have simply avoided going online and being harassed.

Jade

Seperating yourself from social networks, be they online, through your phone, or who you have to deal with in person on a daily basis is extremly hard for someone that young. These kids, and to a lesser extent myself, grew up with these things. Isolating yourself from them, even one of them would probably lead to an increased amount of bullying through the other channels. That could be why she stayed on them. And cutting yourself off shows the bullies that bullying works and gives them more power over others.
Why should you(the victim) shut yourself off from the world, or be forced to cut yourself off because of their actions.

No, the correct thing is to tell others. She had done nothing to warrant this, apart from being the new girl which she had no control over and which wasn't affecting them. Tell others, show them you do have power, and that these kind of people WILL NOT be tolerated.

[jade]

(07-29-2010 02:10 PM)LD 50 Wrote:  

(07-29-2010 10:01 AM)jade Wrote:  This story makes me very sad and also eggs me to stand up to those cowards who think they are smarter by doing such acts. But it is also upon us to not get bogged down by such things.

I think the girl could have simply avoided going online and being harassed.

Jade

Seperating yourself from social networks, be they online, through your phone, or who you have to deal with in person on a daily basis is extremly hard for someone that young. These kids, and to a lesser extent myself, grew up with these things. Isolating yourself from them, even one of them would probably lead to an increased amount of bullying through the other channels. That could be why she stayed on them. And cutting yourself off shows the bullies that bullying works and gives them more power over others.
Why should you(the victim) shut yourself off from the world, or be forced to cut yourself off because of their actions.

No, the correct thing is to tell others. She had done nothing to warrant this, apart from being the new girl which she had no control over and which wasn't affecting them. Tell others, show them you do have power, and that these kind of people WILL NOT be tolerated.

"And cutting yourself off shows the bullies that bullying works and gives them more power over others."

Well at least its better than committing suicide. Just cut off from things that you find are disturbing.