BULLYING CASE ENDED IN SUICIDE

ARGENTINA: SHOCK FOR BULLYING
THAT CAUSED ANOTHER TEEN SUICIDE

www.diariopopular.com.ar - The incident occurred in Posadas, Argentina. The young boy, aged 14, left letters for the family and jumped from a ninth floor. A judge is investigating whether it was a response to "harassment" and "school humiliation." Rodrigo Troche left three letters, one for his parents and two for his brothers, in which he explained the reasons for his drastic decision. The young man jumped from a ninth floor around noon on Tuesday. Social networks are at the heart of the debate. The priest Juan Rajimón, rector of the College Roque Gonzalez where the adolescent attended, asked parents "be alert" and "review the behavior" on the Internet. 
The priest explained that "Rodrigo was a good student, quiet and reserved, in the class we did not detect he was going through a difficult situation; he had good grades and excellent behavior."

Rajimón considered that in these cases "is that we have to be alert, work more with teens. Times have changed, especially with them. There are things they know and adults do not, for example, the issue of social networks, young people do not take dimensions of the things that they upload and when they do, they do not how to eliminate things from there." Judge César Yaya, who instructs the case of suicide of this fourteen year old, deemed it necessary to sensitize society so that no more cases of school bullying and humiliation leading to tragic ends occur. He also indicated that, he is considering that the suicide has been caused due to the harassment and humiliation at school.
"The event is being researched and it is something that happens more than we think and often with our own children. An adolescent lives situations which for an adult may not seem so tragic to take such a dramatic decision, but for them it is very traumatic," he said.

School intimidation (or bullying) is a common form of violence against children. According to a new research from UNICEF between 50% and 70% of students in Latin America have been harassed or have witnessed bullying incidents. While school abuse is not a new phenomenon,  recently, technology and social networks have increased exponentially the reach and impact of this problem. Cyber abuse (cyberbullying) is conducted on the Internet and cell phones and may have, such as bullying, negative impact on mental health: substance abuse and suicide. Bullying is not “guy thing” not a game. It affects the bullied child, as well the bully and the viewer. Don't you think it's time to make a change in society?

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

We have to become activists of the good. There is so much garbage, so much cruelty that has to stop. Modern man has become insensible; anaesthetised by intoxication and consumption, the "human being" prefers the bad, so that he even forgets his own best and directly or indirectly becomes responsible for the corrupt society. We have to make changes, and we have to start with ourselves, because it is almost impossible to change others. One person or the whole world would change if we were capable to inspire them with our own example. The modern "civilized" man is a joke. It is time that we get conscious, even if it pains. The change is necessary, for otherwise, how would there be any hope? The very planet is in danger. We need conscience, even if it pains.

Śrīla Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja :
"Conscience - Even If It Pains"
“Vedic Wisdom Collection"
http://vedicwisdom.weebly.com/
http://vedicwisdom.weebly.com/concience-even-if-it-hurts.html

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

NEW CANADIAN BULLYING CASE: REHTAEH PARSONS

REHTAEH PARSONS, 17, HANGS SELF
AFTER BEING RAPED AND BULLIED

http://www.businessinsider.com - A 17-year-old Nova Scotia girl died last Sunday more than a year after a "viral" photo of her alleged rape turned her into a social pariah at school. The family of Rehtaeh Parsons blames her suicide on her classmates' relentless bullying. They also blame the police who never prosecuted the four boys who allegedly raped their daughter when she was just 15. Parsons' story has drawn comparisons to the recent rape in Steubenville, Ohio, which created an international outcry because of graphic images that circulated online. 
After four boys allegedly raped Parsons at a house party in November 2011, one of the boys distributed a photo of the assault to "everyone in her school ... where it quickly became viral ... Boys who saw the picture asked her for sex, and other students called her a slut," her mother explained. Authorities confirmed a photo of Parsons "allegedly having sex" with one of the boys was emailed and texted among "friends. 

Parsons fell into a depression, her mother says. She changed schools and was hospitalized at one point for six weeks, The Toronto Star reported. On the night of April 4, she became so distraught that she locked herself in the bathroom and had hanged herself by the time her mother burst in. (Parsons was put on life support and died several days later.) She was reportedly never the same after her assault. "Rehtaeh is gone today because of the four boys that thought that raping a 15-year-old girl was OK and to distribute a photo to ruin her spirit and reputation would be fun," her mother wrote on the Facebok page she created. 
The Nova Scotia Justice Department is reviewing how police handled the case, so it's possible the four boys accused of breaking Parsons down could be prosecuted. It's impossible to know whether a prosecution would have healed Parsons' broken spirit, though.

A Canadian teen hanged herself after everybody at school saw pictures of her rape. "Four boys thought that raping a 15-year-old girl was OK and to distribute a photo to ruin her spirit and reputation would be fun," her mother wrote. In just the last ten days there were two reports of teen girls - Rehtaeh Parsons and  Audrie Pott - who both committed suicide after being raped and when pictures of the sexual assaults were distributed electronically among their peers they became the center of evil and relentless cyberbullying. Teens are very vulnerable emotionally and heartless humiliation from peers is the worst kind of abuse that someone of that age can suffer.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Persons who are attached to sinful activities generally become envious and violent toward other living entities.  Committing violence is a heinous sin.  It is everyone’s duty to give up violence.  Violence toward human beings is the gravest sin. ... There are three kinds of violence: violence toward human beings, violence toward animals, and violence toward demigods. Violence is born from hate. ... There are two types of cruelty, cruelty toward humans and cruelty toward animals.  Cruelty toward men and women causes great disturbances in the world. When people practice cruelty toward one another, compassion leaves the world and irreligiousness in the form of cruelty become prominent. (Caitanya-siksamrta 2/5).

Śrīla Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thākura :
‘Violence Toward the Living Entities’
“Śrī Bhaktivinoda Vānī Vaibhava” - Vol 2. “Abhidheya”
Compiled by Śrīpad Sundarānanda Vidyāvinoda

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

YOUNG MAN KILLED HIMSELF DUE TO BULLYING

SUICIDE NOTE OF BULLIED MAN 20
PUBLISHED BY PARENTS AFTER HIS DEATH

www.dailymail.co.uk - The parents of a trainee teacher who killed himself because he had been bullied for years over his sexuality have published their son's suicide note in a local newspaper. Tim Ribberink, who was training to become a history teacher, killed himself last Thursday following years of bullying. But the decision by his parents Gerrit and Hetty Ribberink to publish their son's suicide note  has divided opinion in the Netherlands. 
In the newspaper, the suicide note is published along with Tim's death notice and a large smiling picture of him. It reads: “Dear Mum and Dad, All my life I have been ridiculed, abused, bullied and excluded. You guys are fantastic. I hope you’re not angry. Until we meet again, Tim.” His devastated parents, from Tilligte, east of Amsterdam, said they were not aware that there son was struggling to cope until he killed himself last Thursday. 

According to Irish Times.com, his parents have now asked police to investigate his death and in particular, to look at two fake messages which were posted in his name online. One of the messages dates back to 2010 with the second appearing last summer. It read: “I am a loser and a homo”. The parents are now hoping the police will be able to identify the bullies by investigating the fake messages. The decision by Tim's parents to publish the suicide note led to a massive reaction on Twitter. Despite some negative comments, the majority of posts supported the parents' decision to publish the note. Many called for tougher laws to deal with bulling. 
Within hours of the story about Tim's death emerging, his photograph was shared more than 5,000 times. The Twitter hashtag #timribberink has also been trending in the Netherlands. Last night, an emotional funeral took place at the Catholic church in Tilligte. Hundreds of friends and family attended, with many still shocked and angry about his death.

Bob van der Meer, a psychologist who specializes in the issues surrounding bullying, explains that “The suicide of Tim Ribberink just the tip of the iceberg and there are many children running around with suicidal thoughts because they are being bullied”. Ten percent of Dutch children and adolescents would be mobbed. “Pesten call” the Dutchman said aptly: Words are the victims often contaminated and can not resist. “But you can do something,” says van der Meer. Since 2006, schools have to keep a log of bullying, a “pest” protocol. But that was not enough: “We are shaken by such a case, but then nothing happens,” he adds. “Bullying makes you insecure and lonely. You really suicidal.” Again, while you're reading this, another child or teenager is being abused by his or her classmates or by internet. Say NO to bullying!

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The alarming rise of bullying in the schools ... inspired me to address bullying with an educationally-based yoga program during the school-day curriculum to teach ahimsa - nonviolence to self and others. I set up a pilot study to determine if yoga would result in a decrease in bullying. And it did. ... There is a huge need for this type of education for kids. With the constant advancement in technology, kids and teens are continually bombarded with external stimuli. ... The CK system teaches children how to balance their lives and how to communicate effectively. Students do not ask for asanas (yoga postures); they do ask for relaxation, concentration or conflict resolution scenarios. It is the lifestyle of yoga that sparks their interest. Yoga is an enjoyable way to learn self-reflection, introspection, and relaxation, which most children greatly appreciate. It helps them to counterbalance their reaction to the busy world they live in.

Ms Dee Marie, MA :
“Bullying Can Be Stopped With Yoga”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-schware/yoga-bullying_b_1867274.html
CK - Calming Kids - Creating a Non-Violent World
www.calmingkidsyoga.org  -  facebook.com/calmingkidsyoga

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/