Victim of cell phone abuse tells others to beware

by Karen Palmer 29.JUN.07

A young lady victimized by the circulation of inappropriate material via cell phones has come forward to warn others.

The 13-year-old, who will remain anonymous, is advising everyone that regardless of how ‘cool’ it may seem, the use of cell phones to take and share revealing pictures is unwise.{{more}} She further urges individuals to be alert of their actions, and especially to be aware of how they dress and carry themselves, as others may be quick to judge and even quicker to exchange altered stories.

The confident and articulate young lady told Searchlight earlier this week that she has been receiving unfair treatment by her peer group, and has even been disowned by some friends who fear guilt by association. She mentions that those involved in the incident are receiving the same criticism in and out of school, and said everyone has forgotten previous situations where others made mistakes, and are only focusing on this one.

In sync with the creed ‘to err is human’, she stated that even those who have been quick to judge are guilty of their own mistakes, and that it could have easily have been anyone else’s error.

Whereas she is unsure of the punishment for the individual responsible for circulating the material, the young lady said that it “will never amount to the punishment we are going through”, and she urges everyone to do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

She mentioned that whereas she understood that Searchlight’s front page story last week under the headline “School Blues” which spoke of the inappropriate use of cell phones by students was not intended to harm, she felt it her duty to speak of her mistake in the hope that it will not be repeated by others.

She noted that laws against cell phone misuse should not be limited to schools, and that there should be consequences for violators. (KP)