The Leading Cause Of Nine Teenage Suicides

Did you know between the years 2012 and 2013 cyber bullying is said to be the leading cause of nine teenage suicides? On October 27, 2012 after warning her bullies she would kill herself, 13 year-old Erin Gallagher took her own life. Within weeks of losing her little sister, her sibling Shannon, age 15, committed suicide because she missed Erin so much. If it sounds like a familiar story, it’s more than likely because it’s a tragedy that is continually discussed on the news. It’s an unfortunate occurrence that has become more frequent amongst our teens. One or two deaths in one year seems almost reasonable for teens but nine deaths signifies a larger social issue.

Years ago, bullies only seemed to exist on school grounds but when the

One kid made the comment, “'The feeling of not having to worry about people knowing who you are is powerful and addictive. I found myself resorting to abusing others when I was bored, upset, lonely or angry.’” (Soal 2013). If you’re ever curious as to why bullying occurs, there’s a great probability the aggressor is facing issues in his or her own home that others are unaware of. Some children experience abuse, neglect, and are possibly bullied by other members of their household. Although I understand the frustration the child might feel, it doesn’t justify the right to bully others. As I continue to read more about this subject, I discovered punishment for cyber bullying went from non-existent to several states passing anti-cyberbullying laws. As of today, New Jersey enforces the toughest law. If young offenders are prosecuted and convicted, there is a high probability they can be sentenced to forty-five days in a juvenile facility. However, my issue with this is, if a suicide was committed as a result of cyber bullying then the

If the crime is committed online, then it has to have an adjoining crime in order for the bully to be prosecuted. For example, if another teen posts a nude photo of his or her peer, they can be charged with a sex offense. Harassment can also be viewed as stalking, which is considered a class 6 felony the first time a minor is charged. If repeated, it becomes a class 5 felony. Neither one of these laws take into consideration that another minor has committed suicide over the harassment and again, should lead to a more severe punishment for the minors who cyber bully their peers.

Unfortunately, the punishment for harassment is only one to two years of probation with a possible deferred sentence. If you’re not familiar with what a deferred sentence is, it means if the juvenile avoids further legal troubles within the scope of the current punishment, the charge will be dismissed. Misdemeanor charges have no impact on the offender as an adult. Once the juvenile turns eighteen, they begin their adult life with a clean criminal history. Again, it seems hardly fair when the death of another child has occurred as a result of cyber