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| Mia Janin: Father wants cyber-bullying law after daughter's death | Mia Janin: Father wants cyber-bullying law after daughter's death |
| (25 days later) | |
| The father of a girl who took her own life says cyber-bullying should be made a specific crime to protect children. | The father of a girl who took her own life says cyber-bullying should be made a specific crime to protect children. |
| Mia Janin's parents had no idea she was being targeted on social media by pupils at her London school before she died in March 2021, aged 14. | Mia Janin's parents had no idea she was being targeted on social media by pupils at her London school before she died in March 2021, aged 14. |
| Father Mariano Janin told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme new laws were needed to tackle the issue affecting young people globally. | Father Mariano Janin told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme new laws were needed to tackle the issue affecting young people globally. |
| He said it was time to be "more alert and I would like the system to work". | He said it was time to be "more alert and I would like the system to work". |
| Mia was found dead at her Harrow family home a day after returning to Jewish Free School (JFS) following the lifting of Covid lockdown restrictions. | Mia was found dead at her Harrow family home a day after returning to Jewish Free School (JFS) following the lifting of Covid lockdown restrictions. |
| After her death, her parents began to piece together evidence that she was being bullied by a group of male students on social media and in person. | After her death, her parents began to piece together evidence that she was being bullied by a group of male students on social media and in person. |
| In a voice note sent to a friend the night before she died, Mia said: "Tomorrow's going to be a rough day, I'm taking deep breaths in and out. I'm currently mentally preparing myself to get bullied tomorrow." | In a voice note sent to a friend the night before she died, Mia said: "Tomorrow's going to be a rough day, I'm taking deep breaths in and out. I'm currently mentally preparing myself to get bullied tomorrow." |
| In the UK, there is no specific law on bullying or cyber-bullying and the courts rely on other legislation around harassment and malicious communications. | In the UK, there is no specific law on bullying or cyber-bullying and the courts rely on other legislation around harassment and malicious communications. |
| Form tutor unaware girl was bullied before death, inquest told | Form tutor unaware girl was bullied before death, inquest told |
| Mia Janin took own life after bullying - inquest | Mia Janin took own life after bullying - inquest |
| What is the Online Safety Bill? | What is the Online Safety Bill? |
| Speaking to the programme, Mr Janin said: "I think we need to do something against bullying. We need to revise the existing legislation about bullying, try to understand and try to act, do something." | Speaking to the programme, Mr Janin said: "I think we need to do something against bullying. We need to revise the existing legislation about bullying, try to understand and try to act, do something." |
| He continued: "We need to transmit to our kids values, normal values, kindness, acceptance, understanding - then we need of course some kind of legal boundaries for social media." | He continued: "We need to transmit to our kids values, normal values, kindness, acceptance, understanding - then we need of course some kind of legal boundaries for social media." |
| Mr Janin has previously called for bereaved parents to be allowed more access to their children's social media accounts in order to aid efforts to trace how and why they died. | Mr Janin has previously called for bereaved parents to be allowed more access to their children's social media accounts in order to aid efforts to trace how and why they died. |
| He told the BBC: "I know there are still lots of young people suffering... in a good country, in a modern society, we shouldn't have our kids dying for this stupid matter or subject." | He told the BBC: "I know there are still lots of young people suffering... in a good country, in a modern society, we shouldn't have our kids dying for this stupid matter or subject." |
| Mariano Janin, whose daughter Mia took her own life, says new rules are needed to keep children safe | Mariano Janin, whose daughter Mia took her own life, says new rules are needed to keep children safe |
| Last month, Esther Ghey - whose daughter Brianna Ghey, 16, was murdered in February 2023- told the BBC she believed social media on smartphones should be banned for under-16s. | Last month, Esther Ghey - whose daughter Brianna Ghey, 16, was murdered in February 2023- told the BBC she believed social media on smartphones should be banned for under-16s. |
| Asked about that proposal, Mr Janin said: "I understand her perfectly well because that was my feeling as well at the beginning - but it is like putting the genie inside the bottle again. | Asked about that proposal, Mr Janin said: "I understand her perfectly well because that was my feeling as well at the beginning - but it is like putting the genie inside the bottle again. |
| "We need to learn to live with this technology. This is happening globally, it is not only in England. | "We need to learn to live with this technology. This is happening globally, it is not only in England. |
| "I'm sitting here in London, probably at the same time we have another parent doing the same in Milano, another one in San Francisco, in Buenos Aires." | "I'm sitting here in London, probably at the same time we have another parent doing the same in Milano, another one in San Francisco, in Buenos Aires." |
| Mr Janin said he believed the new Online Safety Bill, which came into law in October 2023 and aims to improve child safety on the internet, could be a "first step in order to get real change". | Mr Janin said he believed the new Online Safety Bill, which came into law in October 2023 and aims to improve child safety on the internet, could be a "first step in order to get real change". |
| Four months after Mia's death, her mother Marisa died after suffering an aneurysm and contracting leukaemia. | Four months after Mia's death, her mother Marisa died after suffering an aneurysm and contracting leukaemia. |
| Asked how he had processed his loss, Mr Janin said: "I think I can accept what happened, I don't think I will understand. | Asked how he had processed his loss, Mr Janin said: "I think I can accept what happened, I don't think I will understand. |
| "I accept it has happened to me - I just live in an empty house with a small dog, I used to have a home with a wife and a daughter. | "I accept it has happened to me - I just live in an empty house with a small dog, I used to have a home with a wife and a daughter. |
| "I accept that is my reality. I cannot escape from this." | "I accept that is my reality. I cannot escape from this." |
| Mr Janin also told the BBC he had serious concerns about the way the investigation into the bullying of his daughter had been handled by the school after her death. | Mr Janin also told the BBC he had serious concerns about the way the investigation into the bullying of his daughter had been handled by the school after her death. |
| In response, a JFS spokesperson said: "After Mia's tragic death, all information held by the school was handed to the Metropolitan Police to support their investigation. | In response, a JFS spokesperson said: "After Mia's tragic death, all information held by the school was handed to the Metropolitan Police to support their investigation. |
| "Throughout the investigation, the school has given open access to all of its systems. Our thoughts remain, as they have always been, with the family." | "Throughout the investigation, the school has given open access to all of its systems. Our thoughts remain, as they have always been, with the family." |
| Mia was described as "creative, kind, entrepreneurial and highly intelligent" during an inquest into her death | Mia was described as "creative, kind, entrepreneurial and highly intelligent" during an inquest into her death |
| Earlier this week, the coroner for North London issued a report to JFS urging its leaders to take further action on bullying to prevent future deaths, particularly the targeting of female pupils by males. | Earlier this week, the coroner for North London issued a report to JFS urging its leaders to take further action on bullying to prevent future deaths, particularly the targeting of female pupils by males. |
| While it acknowledged school policies had been overhauled, it said new initiatives "do not appear to have gained the confidence of some JFS female students". | While it acknowledged school policies had been overhauled, it said new initiatives "do not appear to have gained the confidence of some JFS female students". |
| In a later statement to the BBC, Mr Janin welcomed the coroner's intervention and said he remained "concerned that the school has not, and is not, doing enough". | In a later statement to the BBC, Mr Janin welcomed the coroner's intervention and said he remained "concerned that the school has not, and is not, doing enough". |
| He continued: "The school, indeed all schools, need to take their responsibilities towards our children much more seriously. | He continued: "The school, indeed all schools, need to take their responsibilities towards our children much more seriously. |
| "One death is a death too much. This culture of wilful ignorance needs to change and it needs to change now." | "One death is a death too much. This culture of wilful ignorance needs to change and it needs to change now." |
| In response, a JFS spokesperson said the witness statements referred to by the coroner dated back as far as early 2021 and were "not a reflection of the school today". | In response, a JFS spokesperson said the witness statements referred to by the coroner dated back as far as early 2021 and were "not a reflection of the school today". |
| They added Ofsted found in April 2022 that pupils at the school felt confident to report bullying concerns to staff. | They added Ofsted found in April 2022 that pupils at the school felt confident to report bullying concerns to staff. |
| If you've been affected by the issues raised in this report, the BBC Action Line has a list of organisations that may be able to help. | If you've been affected by the issues raised in this report, the BBC Action Line has a list of organisations that may be able to help. |