Loss of a young life is a tragedy and national disgrace
// November 25th, 2016 // Media discussion, Within Australia
(trigger warning; homophobia & suicide)
Tyrone Unsworth’s suicide is a tragic loss of a child’s life due to years of homophobic bullying and insults at school.
We believe society must change inside AND outside the school gate to prevent this tragedy unfolding in many families’ lives – there’s a social policy vacuum than must be filled and a community of unfunded organisations and volunteers working in this space who need funding and support.
We know that Tyrone’s grieving family didn’t raise what was happening to Tyrone in the school yard with the school.
We also believe that the Safe Schools program could have been a game changer here, removing the silence around homophobia and violence in schools and outside the school gate in community, opening up communications and discussion to support Tyrone and his family.
Social policy action by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments could have started the work needed to change how society is ingrained with homophobia and prejudice outside the school gate.
And Tyrone and his family may have been strengthened and enabled to take the bullying up with his school well before he was pushed towards suicide.
The loss of a young 13 year old life to homophobic bullying and harassment at school is both a tragedy and a national disgrace.
Further reading:
http://www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/real-life/in-the-news/brisbane-year-7-student-takes-own-life-after-being-bullied-for-sexuality
Supports:
Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14 – Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention
QLife – 1800 184 527 – 3pm to midnight – Australia’s first nationally-oriented counselling and referral service for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and/or intersex (LGBTI)
