The Editor,
As a professional in the mental health field and former school trustee, I was saddened and angry about the death of Amanda Todd. Based on the facts available so far, the system had failed her.
She had struggled for three years and cried out for help repeatedly. We have always told children to ask for help and report the matter to the authorities when bullied.
In Amanda's case, she did exactly that, but it had not prevented this tragedy.
What is clear in her case is that a predator had persuaded Amanda to take some sexual pictures and used them to blackmail her. Why didn't the police go after the predator sooner?
There are many questions left unanswered and the public has the right to know what went wrong for Amanda.
We certainly need to strengthen our anti-bullying programs in schools. But that is not enough! We also need to treat bullying seriously when prevention is not working and take appropriate actions especially when criminal activities are involved.
Instead of their victims having to change schools, as Amanda did four times in the past two years, her father said the bullies should be moved. There is an online petition, initiated by Amanda's aunt, asking that cyber bullying be treated as a serious crime. More than 100,000 people have already signed.
We need to step up and take action. We need to be the ones who reach out when we see this happening. We cannot allow this tragedy to be repeated.
Chak Au Councillor
