Bullying the 'main cause of suicide among youngsters'

Published on Sunday 13 June 2010 22:14

NEARLY half of suicides among ten to 14-year-olds are due to bullying, according to research.

Charity Beatbullying said yesterday that out of 59 cases of child suicide reported in the national media between 2000 and 2008, 26 were definitely connected to bullying.

The charity found that every child suicide case related to bullying cited school as the main place of persecution. Of these, four cases also cited cyber bullying – where bullying takes place online, by e-mail and on social networking sites – as a contributory factor.

Beatbullying's report was published to mark the second anniversary of the death of 13-year-old Sam Leeson, who hanged himself after being bullied physically and over the internet.

Chief executive Emma-Jane Cross said: "The connection between bullying and child suicide is undeniably clear and the lack of clarity and research in this area is unacceptable – we need action and we need it now.

"Government need to take a long, hard look at the issue to understand why children as young as ten are taking their own lives. It's a distressing subject, but one which must be investigated as a matter of urgency if we're to help our young people and prevent them taking such desperate action. Suicide should never feel like the only option for any child or young person."

Sam Leeson's mother, Sally Cope said: "Two years ago my 13-year-old son Sam took the tragic decision to take his own life as a result of bullying, so I know from personal experience just how devastating the consequences of bullying can be, and the void Sam's death has left in my family. I urge the government to take action to fund anti-bullying work in schools and make the information regarding child suicides available so that organisations such as Beatbullying can work alongside them to prevent further deaths."