Boy (12) suicidal over torment by pre-teen bullies, says mum [Herald.ie]
- Published: 11 May 2011
A two-year campaign of harassment by primary school bullies has driven a 12-year-old boy to the brink of suicide, his mother has revealed.
The desperate mum reported the intimidation to gardai after his tormenters set up a profile for him on a gay adult website.
The Wicklow woman, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear her son would be subjected to further abuse, told how for the past two years pre-teen bullies have made his life a misery.
"He's been so upset and frustrated and keeps asking 'why me? I'm not the one who did anything wrong. Why are they attacking me?'" she said. "He loves school but he just does not want to go there anymore. "At the lowest point, he has been suicidal."
The case bears similarities to the Phoebe Prince tragedy. The Irish teen killed herself after suffering physical and online abuse at a high school in Massachusetts.
Despite the best efforts of the family and the school, the bullying, which she described as physical and verbal, has escalated over the past two years and even gone online.
Two months ago, after being tipped off by a teacher, the mum discovered the Facebook page which openly mocked the youngster and contained disturbing messages.
"Adult males from everywhere in the world were coming onto the page because links to the page had been put on gay websites and then I really began to wonder 'where do I go now?'
Full Story: www.herald.ie
