Increased cyber bullying leads to teen suicides in Australia

Anatolia News Agency

Öztürk Yıldız pictured with a poster used to educate families and teens about cyber bullying. AA photo

Every year around 750 Australian teens between the ages of 13 and 17 commit suicide because of cyber bullying, according to Anatolian news agency.

Authorities and volunteers are moving to adopt preventative measures to the stem increase in Internet abuse.

Öztürk Yıldız, a former mayor of Turkish descent for Moreland in Melbourne, has garnered support for a foundation to work against the bullying.

“Some of our children who are victims of bullying and cyber bullying have no idea how to handle and deal with the abuse. Sadly, a lot of them give way under the pressure and commit suicide. The rate of suicide is the highest here [in Australia],” he said.

Yıldız also said the Internet’s pervasiveness caused teens to be exposed to abuse at all times and that there was no barrier to protect them online.

“We put together this foundation to save our children from these Internet bullies and the abuse they [suffer] on a regular basis,” said Yıldız.  

The foundation will educate families and victims about cyber bullying as well as offering a 24-hour help line for bullied teens.