12/8/16

By: Rylee Leonard

After continually being bullied both on and offline, Brandy Vela, 18 years old, killed herself in front of her family. On Tuesday, November 29th, this teens life was cut short as she held a gun to her chest, her mind made up, as her family walked in and pleaded. The cause of this act seems to have been triggered by the relentless bullying and cyberbullying over her weight, being a constant harassment since early April. “People would make up fake Facebook accounts and they would message her and she wouldn’t respond and they would still come at her … They would say really, really mean things like, ‘Why are you still here?’ They would call her fat and ugly. She was beautiful, absolutely beautiful; the only thing people could find to pick on her was her weight”, reported her sister, Jackie Vela. Since this heartbreaking tragedy, her community is devastated, and doctors are finding that this increasing problem needs to be stopped.

This tragic death is reviving the realization that cyberbullying can potentially be extremely dangerous. It’s now called a public health problem, facing all young people or those closely involved with social media. Typically, if you’re found to be bullying someone online, you will be charged with some form of a felony. In Brandy Vela’s case in particular, the suspect or the multiple perpetrators couldn’t be traced due to the app being used having no location services. Deputies are continually looking for who’s responsible, as school district directors are now talking to students about cyber bullying across the country. “Today’s young adults and teenagers have grown up with technology and they have access to it 24/7. Many times they become very bold over technology and text things they would never say directly to someone’s face,” explained Melissa Tortorici, communication director for the Texas teens high school, “It’s extremely difficult to stop someone from sending messages when apps make it easy to remain anonymous.” What new protocols can be heightened to stop such cyber attacks, and how can we serve victims the justice they deserve?

Many long lasting effects stem from a period of being bullied, meaning that even if it stops, the victim is still affected. Mental illness is a big impact that is caused from this harassment, the most common disorders including depression and anxiety. These issues are not only heightened, but almost guaranteed to happen, and these mental health problems influence a lot of the things a person does and doesn’t do. In addition, young adults are further put at risk for alcohol and drug abuse, a common factor in a person’s downward spiral. With all this happening, how can we prevent further cases of bullying or suicide? In recent events, zero tolerance policies have been taken on by schools, but the effects haven’t shown any improvement.”Under zero tolerance, bullies would be expelled or suspended. This decreases their chances of getting better or completing school and ultimately getting a job. They need help. With different programs, we can end the behavior but help them at the same time”, said Rivara, a developmental psychologist. Nobody deserves to undergo hardships like these, and we’re the only ones who can put a stop to it. With the right programs, we can get back on track and maintain a healthy social society