Australian mum’s shocking discovery on her 12-year-old daughter’s phone
- Mom found disturbing message on daughter’s Snapchat
- Parents were urged to monitor their children’s phones
- Lifeline 13 11 14, Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
An Australian mother has made a desperate plea after recalling the devastating moment she found a disturbing text message on her 12-year-old daughter’s cellphone from a classmate.
The Queensland mother had only recently allowed her high school daughter to have the phone and a Snapchat account on the condition that she could go through the device at all times.
But nothing could have prepared her for the sickening discovery as she scrolled through her daughter’s Snapchat.
‘That’s the exact reason we’re not friends, you big fat whore. When you think everyone loves you, but honestly, everyone wishes you were dead,” reads another girl’s message.
Her daughter’s father had killed her a month ago.
An Australian mother has urged parents to closely monitor their children’s mobile phone and online activity for cyberbullying (stock image)
The mother was scrolling through her daughter’s phone when she came across a disturbing Snapchat message from a classmate.
The mother has spoken of the ordeal with a desperate plea for her parents.
“Parents need to be aware and be responsible to some extent about what their children say or share online,” she posted on Facebook.
“Please, please, check your loved ones’ phones to make sure everything is above board and there is dialogue and open borders.”
She was also concerned that the message didn’t bother her daughter.
“It became clear that this kind of thing happens so often within their age group,” the mother said Yahoo News Australia.
“It’s kind of a non-event, and it didn’t bother him like I think it should have.”
The mother has since contacted the school, which has vowed to take the incident seriously
“Because this happened on a private device and outside of school, they are not bound by any code of conduct, however they are very determined to stamp it out and are willing to do whatever they can to put an end to this behavior . ‘ she added
“I think you have to know your child and who they hang out with. I really think it starts at home,” she said. “I think it starts with the parents and the environment that a child is in.”
About 230 cyberbullying complaints were reported to eSafety in one month earlier this year
eSecurity Australia is urging parents and carers to talk to their children about online safety and setting boundaries after a recent surge in cyberbullying involving teenagers.
The independent regulator recently revealed that complaints of serious cyberbullying involving under-14s more than tripled in 2022 compared to before the pandemic.
In 2019, eSafety received just over 200 complaints from children aged 8-13, which increased to almost 740 in 2022.
May this year was also the biggest reporting month on record since eSafety’s cyberbullying scheme was launched eight years ago.
Of the 230 complaints reported to eSafety in May alone, about half involved children aged 8-13.
Common complaints included nasty comments, offensive photos or videos, and impersonation accounts
Parents and guardians are urged to set limits to help their children avoid potential harm and show interest in the games they play online and the social media profiles they follow.
If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline 13 11 14, Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800, or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
The mother reported the incident to her daughter’s school, which is dealing with the matter
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