Tuesday, September 28, 2010

15-year-old takes his own life due to anti-gay bullying



How often is this going to happen before we start taking anti-bullying seriously. What's extra sad about this case is that this child had a supportive family but felt that he couldn't tell them what was going on. That's the one thing which must be emphasized to children with supportive families - that they don't have deal with their problems alone:

15 year old Justin Aaberg is described as always smiling, a good student and a talented cello player. On July 9, Justin's family found him in his bedroom after he committed suicide.

"I'm sure things piled up," says Justin's mom, Tammy Aaberg. "I don't know what happened that day his last day. I don't know what happened that made him do it but it had to have been pretty significant."

Justin came out about being gay when he was 13. His family says they were always supportive and only knew of one instance when Justin was harassed at school. Just told his mom "it was no big deal."

In the weeks since their son's death Tammy and Shawn Aaberg have learned from Justin's friends he had been harassed for being gay for years. "Some kids in 8th grade and Sandberg went up to him and grabbed his balls and said you like that don't you?" Tammy was told a friend found Justin crying in the hallway but he refused to tell the school counselor what happened.

According to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network almost 85 percent of GLBT students surveyed reported being verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation. Within the past year teaches in the Anoka-Hennepin district say five students have taken their own lives, three were struggling with sexual identity. "Growing up I was the first openly gay person in my town and I was bullied relentlessly," says Jay Kovach.

After hearing the statistics and Justin's story Kovach helped organize a fundraiser, spaghetti dinner and silent auction in Coon Rapids to help pay for Justin's funeral expenses. Hundreds of friends family and strangers attended the fundraiser and to show support for those struggling in the GLBT community. Teachers tell Fox 9 five students in the Anoka-Hennepin School District committed suicide within the past year, three of them were struggling with their sexual identity.

Related posts:

Focus on the Family's attack on anti-bullying efforts take centerstage on AC 360

GLSEN responds to Focus on the Family distortions

Focus on the Family cites George Rekers in fighting anti-bullying efforts





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