The 7 minute video features Amanda expressing her story through a series of messages written on a stack of papers. They detail how she was tricked into flashing a stranger on her webcam and how the man later attempted to blackmail her with the pictures, sending them out to “everybody” as the police explained when they visited 4 a.m. The cyber-bully had access to her friends and family.
This gave her panic attacks, major depression and anxiety. She then details how a fellow student pretended to be interested in her only to orchestrate her public humiliation; his girlfriend, accompanied by the boy and also a crowd of students, punched her repeatedly till she fell on the ground in a ditch; this was video taped and later shared among students. On Facebook, people commented that she deserved it and they hope she dies.
Alcohol, drugs, and cutting were her desperate attempts to overcome her pain, and she made a suicide attempt by drinking bleach. She attempted to change school, but fellow students sent pictures of ditches and bleach bottles to haunt her and mock her pain, and her troubled past caught up with her.
The cards conclude with her saying “I have nobody. I need someone. My name is Amanda Todd…”
The viciousness and persistence of the students’ cruelty does not speak well of human nature, but fortunately most people outgrow such things. Amanda will not outgrow it. She commit suicide last Wednesday.
Her family has not publicly commented, but many people want her video to be her legacy. There are some concerns that it might inspire copy-cat suicides, but it is hoped teens realize through it how damaging their cruelty can be, and are meanwhile reassured that they are not alone in their turmoil.
The gym where Amanda was a cheerleader posted a statement on its Facebook page:
“I ask that we all watch her video and share her story so that her loss is not in vain. Allow this to be her legacy. Allow us to all look around and find the next Amanda before another precious spunky teenager is lost.”
Legislation can’t fully reach this community. Amanda, for one, said she didn’t press charges against being attacked at school because she “wanted to move on.” Many hope that schools can foster an attitude where bullying is seen for what it is, a vicious and deplorable way to treat one’s peers, and somehow communicate to teenagers that no matter how bad it seems, life will get better.
So she is showing her breasts to strangers as a 12 year old then hooking up with guys she knows has a girlfriend. Violence is not justified but she needs to make better choices and her parents are also at fault.
she cant make more choices because she is dead unfurtunelly but many 12 years old are not mature enough and just do what other tell them to do no matter how stupid it is ..just to be acepted ,many are vulnerable and people take advantage of that ….i agree that some how is the parent fault but that dosen’t mean anybody can come and take pics of a 12 year old breast, thats child pornografy here and anywhere so use you logic a litter be before you judge and show some respet…. no because you dont look smart enough thats ok that people hurt you dont you think ?
Bullying is serious and it’s not just kids doing it. Here’s a recording of my son and his friends being bullied by a 44 year old parental figure in one of their friends homes. The friends were all on a group skype call and the man came into the bedroom of this girl and verbally bashed her (he is not her father or step-parent). When the friend online asked him to quit annoying her, he tells this boy to commit suicide GRAPHICALLY. I can’t get anyone to pay attention or do anything about this adult bullying this kid. No one seems interested until someone actually kills themselves. youtube.com/watch?v=Q_7y7_43cDU
I should add that the girl that lives with this man in her home was hospitalized for depression yesterday. I reported the issue to DCF and the FBI, still no one stands up and pays attention.