When Anna (not her real name) reluctantly allowed her 12-year-old daughter access to a mobile phone and an account on the social media platform Snapchat, she established some prudent ground rules—including reserving the right to check her child's device anytime.

Little did Anna know how urgently needed that safeguard would become.

Just weeks later, the Queensland mum made a disturbing find on her daughter's phone: a message from a classmate that would churn any parent's stomach.

'This is the exact reason we aren't friends, you fat oversized b****,' the chilling message read. 'When you think everyone loves you, but honestly, they all wished you were d***.'

Do you know what your young family members are doing online? Credit: Yahoo! News.

Needless to say, Anna was horrified and sickened. As a single mum still grieving the loss of her daughter's father to suicide just a month prior, the timing couldn't have been worse.

Snapchat, the popular messaging app mostly used by young people, allows users to send photos or texts that disappear after being viewed.

But the app's perceived impermanence emboldens bullies to send cruel messages they wouldn't dare otherwise.

Reading the abusive text, Anna's mind raced with anguish. Had her precious daughter been enduring these kinds of attacks in silence? Why would anyone target her like this?

She knew kids could be cruel, but this was beyond what she imagined. Heart pounding, she rushed to comfort her child.

Fortunately, Anna's daughter seemed unfazed, claiming she 'shrugged it off'.

But therein lay the deeper concern. As Anna learned, this kind of online abuse had become a 'non-event' among children her daughter's age, seldom warranting a reaction.

The normalisation of cyberbullying left Anna both outraged and afraid.

According to Acting e-Safety Commissioner Kathryn King, most reports about online safety issues involve girls between 12 and 16.

Approximately half of the 8 to 17-year-olds surveyed by the independent regulator stated that they had experienced unkind treatment online in the past year.

'Cyberbullying can take a profound psychological toll, especially when part of a sustained, broader pattern of abuse,' she explained.

Ms King added that it can also result in poor mental health, diminished self-confidence, and lower self-esteem, which can negatively affect one's academic performance, relationships with friends, and family dynamics.

Whatever the motivation, Anna knew parents must take cyberbullying seriously. After the incident, she arranged an urgent meeting with school staff, who vowed to address the issue despite it occurring off-campus.

Even though her daughter and the other girl are 'civil' now, Anna is determined to converse with her daughter about self-worth and staying safe online.

'I really think it starts in the home,' said Anna, who urges all adults to be aware of young people's devices and social media activity.

'I think you have to know your child and who they associate with. It starts with the parents and the environment a child is in. Please, please, please check your darlings' phones to make sure it's all above board and have open dialogue and boundaries in place.’

Key Takeaways

• An Australian mum has warned other parents after discovering a disturbing message sent to her 12-year-old daughter on Snapchat.
• The offence was made more distressing given the fact that the girl's father had died by suicide just a month prior.
• The relationship between the two girls involved is now civil, but the mother is adamant that more needs to be done to prevent cyberbullying.

Members, especially those with young grandchildren around the age mentioned in this story, what are your thoughts? Do you discuss the topics of mental health and online activities in your conversations? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.

 

[Clancieblue]

Children sending these types of nasty messages need to be taught they are not anonymous.
Their nasty comments and bullying will follow them through life.
Instead of teaching scripture at school they should be teaching decency and respect for others, maybe a lesson in acceptable behavior. Just block that nasty person straight away and send a copy of the text to the school and the parents.

 

[MariaG]

Children sending these types of nasty messages need to be taught they are not anonymous.
Their nasty comments and bullying will follow them through life.
Instead of teaching scripture at school they should be teaching decency and respect for others, maybe a lesson in acceptable behavior. Just block that nasty person straight away and send a copy of the text to the school and the parents.

I agree.
The child may have shrugged it off, but mum and dad should not.
This kind of communication is dangerous and the girl may well be hiding deep seeded feelings of sadness or despair.
It needs to be nipped in the bud and dealt with immediately.

 

[Suzanne rose]

It makes you wonder are the bully's also being abused ?

Bullying is nasty and needs to be dealt with straight away , sadly even some grown adults are bully's

 

[marni]

You only need to read comments on facebook pages - adults are the worst bullies - they would not say it to anyone's face but they are happy to pile on in their comments. Saw a post about Darryl Sommers today - so many nasty comments - they don't even know the person (celebrities) or have not been harmed by them but the mean comments are rife.