"Cyber bullying is a particularly insidious type of bullying as it can follow people wherever they go and the anonymity that it seemingly affords to the perpetrator can make it even more stressful for victim." - EdballsCopycat fears block 60 Minutes suicide story
By Michelle Draper
AAP
August 12, 2009 05:57pm
A VICTORIAN Supreme Court judge says she has blocked Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes from screening a controversial segment about teenage suicides because of concerns over copycats.
The national anti-depression initiative beyondblue won a last-minute injunction last Sunday to stop the program broadcasting the story about the suicides of four students at a Geelong school. The Victorian Government joined in the legal battle today.
Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said she had considered evidence, including that from a psychologist, that the program could have created a risk of copycat suicides among young people generally and, more specifically, linked to the school in question.
“It appeared that there was a real risk of further suicides amongst vulnerable adolescents at that school,” Justice Hollingworth said when she ordered the injunction remain in place.
Health experts and the Victorian Department of Education will now view the footage before another court hearing on Friday, August 21.
Nine had agreed not to screen the segment before then, Nine’s lawyer Michael Wheelahan said.
The agreement was reached between the network and the Victorian Department of Education.
“The department is pleased it has come to an agreement with Channel Nine that the segment will not be broadcast while the injunction agreed (Wednesday) is in place,” the department said .
“This will enable the department, with health experts, to view the material before further discussions.”
Nine is still negotiating with beyondblue about the finer details of the injunction.