Online Community Reacts To Recent Cyberbullying Suicide

By Michael Lopez

Perez Hilton, La La Vasquez, Joel Madden, and more have joined the fight against cyberbulling, an online epidemic that just last week led to a freshman’s suicide at Rutgers University. Similar to the high-profile case of Megan Meier, 18-year-old Tyler Clementi took his own life after continuous harassment in cyberspace.

Image: Facebook

In the case of Tyler, his roommate had secretly filmed him getting intimate with another male student in their dorm room and posted the video online. Obviously whether Clementi was open about his sexuality or not, sharing moments like that without his permission was a major invasion of privacy and led to a nonstop barrage of virtual taunts.

Following the aftermath of the negative feedback, Tyler went to his Facebook page and posted that he was ready to end his life. Seven days later, police found his body at the bottom of the George Washington Bridge and, when evaluating the injuries, determined that he had indeed jumped to his death.

Should his roommate be held responsible for what happened? Obviously charges have been filed relating to Clementi’s privacy violations, but proving heavier motives, like manslaughter, is another story. Regardless, this tragedy all goes back to the growing cyberbullying trend.

When hearing the news of Clementi’s death, blogger Perez Hilton said,

"I'm just beyond sad — I'm crushed. And also compelled to acting by the recent rash of young people killing themselves because of gay bullying and being harassed in school because people might think that they're gay."

On his site, Hilton referred visitors to the It Gets Better project, a movement dedicated to educating teens about cyberbullying and helping them cope with virtual abuse. In addition, former MTV VJ, La La Vasquez, posted an anti-cyberbullying video on her site (with Ciara) and Tweeted “It Gets Better” info to all her fans.

Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden made his own It Gets Better video on the band’s web page and other celebs like Ellen DeGeneres and Sophia Bush spoke up on the topic as well. It may seem hard to believe, but according to ABC News, 42% of kids have been bullied online. That means there’s a very good chance it’s happened to you or someone you care about.

Image: AFP/Getty Images

It’s important for everyone to know that there are both virtual and in-person support groups available for anyone who feels victimized. And remember, no matter how hard things feel in the moment…It Gets Better.

Source: [MTV]

Have you ever been a victim of cyberbullying? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Cyberbullying, It Gets Better, Joel Madden, LaLa Vasquez, Megan Meier, Perez Hilton, Rutgers University, Sophia Bush, Suicide, Tyler Clementi