We’ve all been affected by bullying in one way or another.
We may have been victims, seen someone being bullied or even been the bully ourselves. Many children, teens and even adults are subjected to psychological and physical bullying on a daily basis that makes their lives a living hell.
Cassidy Trevan from Melbourne, Australia knew all too well what that was like.
She had been bullied for a long time. The bullying was mostly pyschological, but had also turned physical a couple of times.
She was called terrible names, attacked at school and on the internet. Even her family home was vandalized.
It got so bad that she could no longer go to school. It was just too much. Despite conversations with the bullies, things didn’t improve.
After a whole term away from school and with support, she was ready to give school another try. She started off with two days a week to get used to it.
The girls who had treated her badly apologised. They even wanted to be friends with her now. They asked if she wanted to go to a festival with them.
Of course she wanted to. She had been excluded for so long that even though the girls had been mean to her before, her need for friends outweighed that.
Yeah I’m a weirdo. 💋😘😍 no judgy 😷🙊✌️
Posted by Cassidy Trevan on Friday, October 23, 2015
What Cassidy didn’t know was that the girls had a plan more outrageous than anyone could imagine.
The girls took Cassidy to a nearby house where they’d arranged for two older guys to rape her.
The girls sat outside and waited while the boys took turns raping Cassidy. She was 13 years old.
Cassidy reported the incident to the police, but unfortunately the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence. All of those involved walked free.
Cassidy’s mom, Linda, transferred her to a different school, and they even moved, but the bullies always found a way to get at her. They attacked her in shops and even called her mom and asked to talk to her.
Linda did everything she could, but she still had to watch her daughter deteriorate. Eventually, Cassidy could hardly get out of bed in the morning.
In December 2015, she took her own life.
After her suicide, Linda found a letter that Cassidy had written. A letter that everyone should read. A letter to all those who bully. A letter to everyone who has been bullied.
Posted by Cassidy Trevan on Friday, October 23, 2015
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Here’s what she wrote:
“I was a student at (school name omitted) and I was raped by some of the students who still attend that school. I know this already probably sounds like attention-seeking but it’s honestly far from it. I have many reasons for doing this which I’ll also explain.
My aim is to warn other people (students mostly but also parents) about what happened because I’m worried if they could do it to me they could do it to other kids like me, or at least try to. You actually have the power to stop this from happening. Remember the people who did this to me were school students at (omitted), it’s hard to believe, I know. But it’s true.
I’m not doing this for revenge to those students that raped me, set up the rape, bullied me about the rape, teased me about the rape or anything like that. I’m also not doing this for attention seeking like I mentioned earlier, I want to make that clear.
I’m doing this because over 1500 students years 7-12 are currently enrolled at the school and they need to be warned. I feel because of what happened to me, and because the staff at the school did nothing to help me (which I’ll talk a bit more about later). It’s now my duty to warn you all and to make you aware of what happened. (Not just what you may have heard around school but what actually happened.)
But I’m also doing this for myself. I want to finally after 1 and ½ years be left alone. It’s surprising just how many students at (omitted) have heard stories of me and weirdly enough still get told stories of me to this day. I still continue to get students I’ve never met contacting me Facebook calling me a slut. I’ve moved schools, I’ve moved house and still I’m being contacted and bullied. I can’t stop people from spreading rumours, but at least I could try and spread what really happened seeing as it’s still being talked about anyway. But as I said this honestly is more so for students who are unaware of this and are in danger of those students.
My name is Cassidy Trevan, and I was raped.
If anyone every tries this on you trust me it’s worth fighting! Fight! If you don’t you’ll regret it for the rest of your life like I do. You can do it.
Be careful. Be warned. Be safe.”
The letter was published by Australian Channel 9.
The death of one Young person due to bullying is one death too many.
Nobody should be made to feel so bad that they believe that the only way out is to take their own life.
We have to work together. Students, parents, teachers, everyone needs to work to bring this to an end.
Nobody should have to feel alone.
Linda’s grief will never go away and her daughter will never come back.
Cassidy’s story has moved thousands, and I hope that it will continue to get through to many more.
Click the like button below to help fulfil Cassidy’s last wish to spread the word and stop bullying!
