they’re two separate mothers, with different and unconnected stories with cyber-bullying.
For one – Mandy Trowbridge – the painful lack of a child who was once a sufferer.
For the other, who spoke anonymously, the shock of being informed by way of police that her child used to be a cyber-bully.
However from both, the similar message: Cyber-bullying is an actual danger that folks and youngsters must take on to avoid equivalent heartache in their personal homes.
Facebook and Twitter may just face ‘online abuse levy’
Each mothers shared this message and their separate cyber-bullying experience with BBC Newsline ahead of the release of a new consciousness programme designed to advertise online protection to kids and oldsters alike.
Symbol copyright Trowbridge circle of relatives Image caption Elle Trowbridge, 16, took her personal existence in April after being focused through cyber-bullies
Its aim is to make folks and kids acutely aware of safety whilst the usage of social media websites, chat room and internet forums and likewise to bear in mind of the wear that can be done by sending threatening messages online or on cell phones.
The awareness strategy comes at a time whilst the NSPCC has stated that kids as younger as 5 are on social media and one in three has been the victim of cyber-bullying.
One of these victims was once Elle Trowbridge, a 16-yr-antique from County Tyrone, who took her own existence in April after being targeted by means of cyber-bullies on account that she was ELEVEN.
Image copyright Trowbridge family Symbol caption Elle Trowbridge together with her family
Mrs Trowbridge stated she believed kids had sent the messages but that she “did not need the similar thing to occur to them, for them to fall into a deep, dark place”.
“Perhaps they need assist and intervention. Youngsters act on impulse and emotion. they don’t recall to mind the results months down the line.”
the opposite aspect of cyber-bullying was once experienced through a mom who instructed BBC Newsline that her 14-12 months-antique daughter had despatched a threatening message to another child asking her to self-hurt and think about taking her personal lifestyles.
The Mum, who spoke anonymously, stated police arrived at her door and instructed her that her daughter “had sent a very bad message to any individual who was once a pal”.
Symbol caption The Mother of a cyber-bully spoke anonymously to BBC Newsline’s Donna Traynor
“I Couldn’t believe that my daughter would do this.
“While she was once sending that text message she was 14, and on every occasion the police came along to my house and that i noticed her sat there at the desk she looked like a four-12 months-old girl.
“I realised she is a kid but she dedicated something very, very bad.
“She was once stunned and that i think she was once more horrified that she in fact got stuck.
“i think she assumed she would get away with it and that i do not believe she gave any thought to the chance of that girl taking her life on account of that message.”
Symbol caption the brand new online safety awareness programme launched via the Safeguarding Board of Northern Eire
The Mummy said she believed her daughter used to be encouraged to ship the message as a result of peer force.
“i do know my daughter is not innocent as a result of she pushed the button and sent the message.
“But I do imagine that as a result of her friends had been there she had power – I do consider she had reinforce do that poor thing she won’t have done on her own.
“However she pressed the button and sent the message.
“i hope they (youngsters) appreciate they cannot blatantly harass anybody and never get stuck.”
the important message, she mentioned, is that youngsters and oldsters transform aware of the risk cyber-bullying poses.
“you do not realize what they are looking at at the phone,” she said. “you’ve got no thought.
“you try to provide them an element of accept as true with but that may simplest go to this point they usually are not absolutely developed human beings.
“This cyber stuff is encouraging them to be bad, to turn blatant and absolute harassment to different weak folks. This is not the best way to head. The Place will it end?”