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Mum reveals horror bullying left 11-year-old daughter suicidal

A heartbroken mum lives in fear her 11-year-old daughter could take her own life after discovering cruel bullies ‘told her to kill herself’ over her thick eyebrows.

Mum-of-two Aimee Cowen, 34, was horrified when daughter Halle confessed classmates had allegedly sent her a Snapchat video telling her “you’re ugly, you have a monobrow” and “you should just go and kill yourself”.

The distraught single mum claims her daughter has been the subject of ‘cruel and relentless’ bullying for about a year, which she said all began with kids taunting Halle because of her bushy brows.

Aimee has hit out after her daughter's horror bullying. Photo: Facebook/aimee.cowen.58
Aimee has hit out after her daughter's horror bullying. Photo: Facebook/aimee.cowen.58

Aimee, from Tasmania, has revealed for months her daughter heartbreakingly told her she didn’t “want to live anymore. I want to kill myself’.

“Throughout Halle’s time at primary school there were a few little incidents of bullying here and there, but nothing too serious,” said Aimee, who is also mum to seven-year-old Bree.

“I didn’t see any major changes in Halle until last year, but I just put all the mood swings down to hormones and getting older.

“But one day I asked her to clean her room and she had a complete meltdown, saying ‘you don’t know what I’m going through mum’.

Halle then revealed to her mum how she was being bullied, taunted and isolated every day over her eyebrows.

“Boys would tell her that they would be her boyfriend if she ‘got rid of the monobrow’,” said Aimee.

“Then kids would tell her she couldn’t play with them or touch their football because she had germs.

“It’s just so horrible. She was coming home in tears every single day.

Aimee was shocked when Halle finally opened up on what had been happening at school. Photo: Caters
Aimee was shocked when Halle finally opened up on what had been happening at school. Photo: Caters

“Then she started saying that she didn’t want to live anymore and that she wanted to kill herself.

“To hear that someone has told my child to go and kill themselves is absolutely soul destroying.

Aimee has now launched a campaign to challenge Australian schools on how bullying is dealt with after another youngster, 14-year-old hat model Dolly Everett, killed herself in the Northern Territory earlier this year after also allegedly being taunted by bullies.

Halle’s school, which Aimee does not want to name, said it doesn’t tolerate bullying in any form, and is committed to ensuring a safe environment.

The mum-of-two is now pushing for a new anti-bullying campaign in schools. Photo: Caters
The mum-of-two is now pushing for a new anti-bullying campaign in schools. Photo: Caters

“You have so much love for your child from the day that they are born, and you just want to do anything you can to protect them,” said Aimee.

“I just can’t believe anyone could be so cruel as to tell someone that they should kill themselves.

“Her mood lowered so much, and she didn’t go to school for a week.

“She kept saying ‘Mum I don’t want to live anymore. I want to kill myself.’

“She was thought that it was the only way that she was going to get rid of the bullies.

“She even began pulling her hair and punching herself. I was so scared.”

Aimee was left heartbroken by the change in her young daughter following the bullying. Photo: Caters
Aimee was left heartbroken by the change in her young daughter following the bullying. Photo: Caters

Aimee, who was bullied as a youngster too, claims the school should have done more to support her daughter when she told them about the bullying.

She believes there needs to be more regulation, support and education available for both bullies and their victims in schools across Australia.

But the mum said she’s hopeful for change after some of the alleged bullies came forward and apologised to Halle.

“A lot of these kids who are bullies are struggling at home, and that’s quite often what us parents get told when our child has been bullied,” said Aimee.

“I am just shocked at how relentless kids are these days and it seems like the bullies have no limits.

“These days we raise our kids in a world of social media, and they’re going to find a way to use it whether we like it or now.

“There just needs to be more regulation from parents and schools, and constant monitoring of these kid’s social media accounts. Bullying doesn’t just end in the schoolyard anymore.

“Some bullies have come forward and taken it upon themselves to apologise, so I think that’s a really big step.
“Halle has been so strong through all of this. She is wise beyond her years and has a good head on her shoulders. I am so proud of her.”

A spokesperson from the Tasmanian Department of Education, speaking on behalf of Halle’s school, said: “Senior staff leaders at the school are committed to ensuring a safe and caring environment and working to support all learners and their families.

“The school’s policy against bullying, which is fully endorsed by the school association, takes a clear and coherent stand against bullying, and states that the school ‘does not tolerate bullying in any form’.

“The policy clearly outlines a range of responsibilities and actions that the school, students and parents are committed to.

“The school has also established a number of successful partnerships with external, community-based supports to further extend the reach of their work to support student wellbeing.”

- Additional reporting by Caters News.

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