We have an important message from Rachel Downie from Stymie.
**Trigger warning, this post discusses suicide**
[A suicide has recently been recorded on Facebook Live and you might be hearing about it on your feeds]. It has now worked its way into TikTok, 4chan, Instagram and other social media feeds that our kids are using. The video is horrific and is being hidden behind other content.**Please DO NOT ask the kids if they have seen it; they will go looking for it.
If students/your children come to you saying that they have viewed it, we have the following advice:
- Stay calm, don’t overreact. This isn’t about you (sorry!).
- Contact the social media platform(s) to report the video (they are all trying hard to contain it as we speak).
- Applaud them for having the courage to start this conversation with you and let them talk about what they have seen. It’s not a good idea to watch the video yourself or ask your child/the student to show you the video, no matter how curious you are. I’ll say again, that it is horrific; you can’t unsee it.
- Add to this, a popular Tiktok Teen died by suicide yesterday. His name is Ethanissupreme, we already know that people are very upset about this.
- Some other questions you can ask them are:
- Sometimes people feel very down, sad, or hopeless. What can we do to let people know that they aren’t alone and that we care?
- Who can you talk to if you feel sad or hopeless?
- What can you do if you see something online that makes you feel uncomfortable?
If any of you need support or have questions, Stymie are here for you.
If you would like to reach out to other agencies, you can contact:
Beyond Blue:1300 22 4636
Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelp.com.au
Stay safe and well friends. Love to all of your kids xoxo
Kind regards
Rachel
