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Bullied to Death

December 30, 2010

The headlines are filled with tragic stories of young people taking their own lives after being tormented because of their sexuality. Five teens have died by suicide in the past several months, among them Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi. Dr. Phil examines this disturbing trend with his panel of experts: Mark Indelicato, 16-year-old actor and star of Ugly Betty; Loni Coombs, host, news anchor and legal correspondent; Parry Aftab, cyber bullying safety expert and Charles Robbins, executive director and CEO of The Trevor Project, a leading organization focusing on suicide prevention among LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) teens.

Dr. Phil shines a spotlight on teen suicide, the Phoebe Prince tragedy and cyber bullying.

Loni Coombs speaks out about cyber bullying. Read her candid thoughts on her blog in the DrPhil.com community.

Remembering Tyler Clementi

Dr. Phil visits the George Washington Bridge in New York, the site of Tyler Clementi's suicide. He has an exclusive interview with Blake, a man who says he was a mentor to Tyler. Plus, Nina, who attended high school with the young man, describes her reaction to his death.

"I never saw this coming. This was a huge shock."

The Experts Weigh In
Tyler's roommate, Dharun Ravi, and Rutgers freshman, Molly Wei, have been charged with invading his privacy. Prosecutors say that Ravi tried to webcast a second encounter the day before Clementi's suicide. Should the students face more severe charges in light of Clementi's death? Were Clementi's civil rights violated?

"Unless we stop the bystanders from standing by, we're going to be seeing a lot more of this."

Students Speaking Out
Mark Indelicato sits down with a group of LGBTQ teens to hear their thoughts about the recent deaths of gay teens and their own experiences with anti-gay bullying.

"I tried to commit suicide three times."

Cyber Taunted Tween
Eleven-year-old Riley says that other students call her "lesbian," "slut" and "man" because she is the only girl on the football team. Her mom, Tina, says she's worried because the bullying has gone on for a year and a half.

Learn the steps to take to stand up to bullies.

His Side of the Story

Tyler Wilson, 11, is a boy cheerleader whose arm was allegedly broken by bullies. His mother pressed charges against two boys, one of whom is Phaedra's 11-year-son, Deon. Mother and son refute the charges, saying that Deon was just trying to protect himself.

"You can't walk away."

Crusade against Cyber Bullies
Kevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education, joins Dr. Phil via satellite from Washington, D.C. He says that educators need to take a stronger stance to help prevent cyber bullying.

"If a kid is getting hurt, it's our job as responsible adults to do something about it."

A DrPhil.com Exclusive

After the show, Dr. Phil continues his discussion with Mark Indelicato and his panel of LGBT teens.

Part 1

Part 2

Message Board

Talk about this show.

Teens: Are you the victim of bullying or cyber bullying? Speak up!

Advice

A Call to Action against Bullying

Pledge to Stop Bullying!

Speak Up!

If a friend or loved one is talking about or planning to take his or her life, reach out for help now. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-TALK (8255).
The Trevor Project or call (866) 4-U-TREVOR