School bullying touches most of us during our lifetimes. It crushes some, hardens others and tragically kills, too. Charlotte, a 12-year-old student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, left a farewell note citing bullying before apparently taking her own life on Monday, a tragedy that again has focused attention on the repugnant schoolyard culture.
While it is still unclear exactly what happened, any suicide of a child is the worst of losses, leaving parents and school communities bereaved and bereft and wondering what more could have been done as they struggle with distress and grief. Charlotte’s death has gone out like a tsunami across Sydney and raised questions about how schools are handling bullying.
Charlotte, aged 12, died last Monday night. Her family are critical of her school’s response to claims she was bullied.
Experts say the most common risk factors for youth suicide are a mental health condition or a physical disability, but bullying, family problems and grief can also play a role. It is rare for only one factor to be at play.
According to the Herald’s Jordan Baker, last year 936 people in NSW took their own lives, including 23 under the age of 18; nine were girls and 14 were boys. On average, suicide has claimed about 26 minors a year since the NSW Suicide Monitoring System was introduced in 2020. Over the years, Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Australia surveys commissioned by the Department of Social Services have generally found a higher incidence of bullying at public schools, with girls more likely to be the victims.
Rachael Murrihy from The Kidman Centre said many institutions didn’t know how to handle bullying, an observation that suggests the problem is now hitting private schools harder.
Parents of bullies are calling in solicitors to contest allegations, while high-fee independent schools are increasingly hiring lawyers to conduct investigations.
“Right down to the interview, you’re handing this over to a lawyer with potentially no adolescent expertise to handle a traumatic incident,” Murrihy said.
Loading
It is easy to understand why some children feel overwhelmed. There are the pressures wrought by parents, siblings and home life, which might be dysfunctional or broken entirely. Family violence, domestic relationship breakdowns and abuse can lead to mental health vulnerabilities in children. Yet similar vulnerabilities can emerge from apparently stable households, or when parents put too much pressure on their children to succeed.
Santa Sabina student Charlotte’s suicide puts bullying in spotlight
