School bullying, hell for teenagers. It’s been two weeks since 13-year-old schoolgirl Lindsay took her own life. Thursday, the parquet floor of Béthune, in Pas-de-Calais, announced the indictment of five people. Four minors for “school harassment leading to suicide” and one major for “death threats”. In France, in 2022, according to the Ministry of National Education, 10% of adolescents say they are being bullied at school. A phenomenon that is growing more and more on social networks where 40% of young Internet users regularly face cyberbullying.
As for suicide, it accounts for 16% of deaths among young people aged 15 to 24. A figure which, despite awareness campaigns, is not decreasing. Lindsay is not the first person to end her life because of harassment, there was also recently Lucas, 13, in the Vosges, Dinah, 14, in the Haut-Rhin and many other victims .
A relentless fight for families
On May 12, the young teenager Lindsay killed herself, in Vendin-le-Vieil, in Pas-de-Calais, after having suffered harassment for many months. Betty Gervois, her mother, recounted her fight in The voice of the North. “It started at the start of the school year in September, testifies Betty Gervois. It was insults in college and it continued by message and on the Internet”.
Lindsay’s family noticed that her behavior was deteriorating, but her mom didn’t give up. “I knocked on all the doors”, confides Betty Gervois to the regional daily. Appointment with the shrink, meeting with the staff of the establishment, reports to the academic services… she tried everything.
Schooled at Bracke-Desrousseau in Vendin-le-Vieil, a “first situation of harassment was dealt with by the establishment”, specified the rectorate to AFP. It had resulted in “a harassment commission and the appropriate sanctions had been pronounced”, he added. One of the students involved had left the establishment. However, that was not enough.
As a reminder, at the start of the year, Lucas, a 13-year-old schoolboy, had ended his life in the Vosges after being subjected to harassment, including homophobic insults. In April, four teenagers were tried for “school bullying” but the prosecutor, having “a doubt”, did not consider bullying as the reason for his suicide. The decision is due on June 5. A few months before, in October 2021, Dinah, 14, also committed suicide at her home in Kingersheim, in the Haut-Rhin. According to those around her, she was “a victim of school harassment”. After a first complaint dismissed by the Mulhouse prosecutor’s office, the family filed a complaint with civil action in November.
A law against bullying?
Most often, the families of the victims blame a lack of interest and action on the part of schools, but also of the government. This is the case of Betty Gervois. “It was when Lindsay left that they decided to act,” still reproaches her mother in The voice of the North.
From 2019 to 2021, the “Phare” anti-bullying program was piloted in six academies. According to the Ministry of National Education and Youth, the experiment showed the mobilization of all establishments. Since September 2022, the program has been compulsory in all elementary schools and colleges in France.
In addition, on Twitter, the deputy (RN) of the North and vice-president of the National Assembly, Sébastien Chénu, announced that he had tabled a bill aimed at “fighting and firmly condemning school bullying”. “Contrary to what the law currently provides, it will be up to the harasser to change establishment and no longer to the victim. He will be prohibited from approaching the victim after a court decision, ”said the deputy.
The latter also wishes to add, in each school’s internal regulations, “the criminal and tortious nature of harassment as well as the penalties incurred”. In return, teachers who fight against harassment must be rewarded with a revaluation of their jobs, believes the far-right elected official.
Currently, three numbers are available in the event of harassment: 119 (children and teenagers in danger), 3018 (cyberbullying) and 3020 (families and victims).