Harmful

Farah owns a small shop in Victoria and runs two online businesses. She is well connected with her community and has many followers. During Australia's COVID-19 lockdowns Farah was targeted on social media. She spent almost a year trying to protect herself and her loved ones from an online perpetrator. In this episode of ‘Harmful’, we share one of many stories about lockdown cyberbullying.

In this episode of ‘Harmful’, we’re telling the story of Allem Halkic. Allem was taunted and threatened online through social media posts and text messages before he ended his life. His death came as a huge shock to his family and loved ones. Allem was the first cyberbullying victim in Australia to be recognised as a victim of crime in the Melbourne courts. His story highlights the devastating impact that cyberbullying can have on individuals and entire communities.

Lucia's story with bullying began in high school. After being briefly bullied herself, she made a vow to never let anyone bully her or her friends again. Lucia would strike first. In this episode of Harmful, we explore why people become bullies. By understanding the motives behind bullying behaviours, we can shift our focus towards finding solutions.

In this episode of Harmful, we learn how three mothers - Ruth, Becky and Lara - coped while supporting their children who were being bullied at school. Ruth’s son was only twelve years old when he tried to end his own life because of the bullying he faced. Becky never imagined how much watching her son being bullied would test her perseverance. Racism and bullying forced Lara and her family out of rural Victoria, searching for a new school community that would offer a sense of belonging. Instead, her son continues to be ostracised.

For some people, their ability to deal with bullying is impacted by past trauma. Sarah is a lecturer in mental health and a domestic violence survivor. It has been a dark year for her. Years of trauma and social pressure led to a break down. She was unable to go back to work and unable to defend herself against the bullying she was facing. In this episode of 'Harmful', we explore how past experiences, upbringing, and cultural context influence what we deem acceptable in the ways others treat us.