Youngsters ‘using app to bully girl’
A 12-YEAR-OLD girl has been sent cruel messages on the anonymous messaging app Sarahah, which bullies are using to “torment” her.
Janine Hann, from Caerau, said her daughter Keira Preston has been targeted by bullies since she joined Mary Immaculate High School in Cardiff in September last year.
But despite the bullying in school dying down, the Year Seven pupil has since become the focus of nasty messages sent via the app. One user sent a message calling her a “bitch”, a “slut” and “disgusting”.
Mother-of-two Ms Hann said: “It’s just heartbreaking. She’s a really shy and kindhearted girl.
“She was struggling a bit when she first started high school and was falling behind, but teachers just said that was down to her being a bit immature for her age and struggling with the adjustment.
“Some girls started to bully her and it’s been going on ever since she started. I’ve had meetings with the parents and one of the girls did apologise. But now it’s moved on to cyberbullying. She comes home from school and it continues.”
Sarahah is a controversial app that hit the headlines when other teens became victims of bullying. Originally designed for customers to send anonymous comments to businesses, the app was a hit in the Middle East and has since grown in popularity across Europe.
It allows users to send each other anonymous messages. According to the website, “Sarahah helps you in discovering your strengths and areas for improvement by receiving honest feedback from your employees and your friends in a private manner”.
However, in February Sarahah – Arabic for “honesty” – was kicked off Apple’s App Store and Google Play on Android devices.
Although she has deleted the app, some of Keira’s peers have started sending her screenshots of comments.
Ms Hann, 33, continued: “It’s just disgusting that people Keira’s age are using language like that. It’s terrible and it’s like they’re tormenting her... Some of her friends are even being targeted for being friends with her. One girl said she was too scared to be friends with Keira because she didn’t want to get bullied.”
Ms Hann has since set up a petition to have anonymity features on social media banned and has smashed her target of 800 signitures.
Headteacher Huw Powell also expressed concern and is urging pupils not to use it. He said the school will support any student who feels threatened or bullied.
He said: “The company behind it make clear it is not aimed at teenagers or young people, but clearly people of all ages were able to download it in the past.”
“It’s constant,” continued Ms Hann. “We went for a meal for her birthday and she was so happy. I said, ‘nobody is going to take that smile off her face again,’ but then we got home and it started again.”
“She’s deleted the app and I know some people will tell me to take away her phone, but she needs it in case she needs to get in contact with me, and then if I do take it away, the bullies have won.”
Sarahah has been contacted for comment