Death By A Thousand Cuts
By now you’ve likely heard, read or seen the tragic story of Amanda Todd who committed suicide a few weeks after posting a video of her using flash cards to describe the torment she faced as a result of being initially cyber-bullied which then overflowed to actual violence. She made the mistake, as many young people do, of sending a picture of herself (sexting) which was then used to basically blackmail her into other unwanted activities. She trusted the wrong people who used her innocence against her. She tells her story much more eloquently than I could ever hope but be warned, it is heart-wrenching in its desperation and honesty.
Parents, schools, police and community agencies alike are deeply concerned about the issue of cyber-bullying and the often related re-posting of photos on Facebook, Twitter or other social networking sites. In many cases, this amounts to a criminal offence related to the dissemination of pornography. Many young people have no idea that forwarding such images can result in a criminal charge that may affect their lives for a very long time. Equally as important is the effect this posting has on the lives of the victimized who, like Amanda, are forced to move school and communities in the hope they can escape the cruelty and scrutiny of their peers. Even more disturbing is the news that blogs set up to honour Amanda are being used by some pretty disturbed people to further attack her in death. Though the RCMP are investigating these acts, tracing the source of anonymous online bullying is not an easy task.
The Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council has started to look at how it can be of service to parents, schools, police and youth to help them think before posting anything that could be potentially harmful to themselves or others. The WRCPC has formed a working group of police, educators, researchers, community members and Council members to create an action plan and hopes to have this in place for the next school year. Ironically, the group was meeting just as the story of Amanda’s death was breaking in the media.
We don’t have to wait for the plan to be completed before taking action on our own to reduce, if not end cyber-bullying. All we need to do is think before we hit the ‘send’ button on our computer or smartphone. As parents we need to talk with our kids about what the fact that what is posted lives on the internet forever. Companies regularly go on Facebook to check the pages of prospective employees to see the types of things they post and make hiring decisions based upon what they see. Having a criminal record, particularly for possession or dissemination of child pornography will limit access to future career opportunities and can create issues in seeking entrance to other countries when travelling.
Amanda’s story is a cautionary tale not only to the perpetrators of the bullying, but to those who act as bystanders and enable it to continue. For bullying to thrive it needs a willing audience. Each time we fail to stop the cycle we become one of those thousand cuts that eventually kill.
How many more Amanda Todd’s are out there?
Author: Frank Johnson is a regular guest writer for Smart on Crime in Waterloo Region. Frank is a retired principal with the local Catholic school board, a dad, and sometimes runner who possesses an irreverent sense of humour that periodically gets him in trouble. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
Frank Johnson’s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.