News: Year 9 girl tied to a tree and sexually assaulted just metres away from teachers at her SA school.

Warning: this post deals with issues of sexual assault and bullying and may be distressing for some readers.

Tied to a tree.

With a gang of eight rubbing their buttocks and genitalia against her.

Another male filming the assault.

The young girl, barely a teenager screaming. Terrified. The footage posted online, it goes viral.

Would you be further shocked to know the victim was in year 9?

At an Australian school.

That the incident took place just metres away from a staff room, at recess.

That the males were boys – aged 13 and 14 years old. And that no one so far has been prosecuted.

Lets hope it shocks you because it should. It is just another awful example of cyber bullying taking place in our schools on a regular occurrence.. and shockingly the perpetrators often get away with it.

The young teenager was a student at a school in Adelaide’s western suburbs when the incident took place.

The Advertiser reports that it started when she was tied to a tree by a hose by another girl who had been bullying her.

The victim’s mother told The Advertiser that “My daughter noticed a gang of boys approaching … she began to ask (the girl) to let her free … as the boys drew closer they grabbed the hose and sprinkler.“

By this stage my daughter was screaming and begging (the girl) to untie her; however, the girl chose to laugh at her and do nothing.”

It was then the boys dropped their pants and, while the assault was being filmed, they rubbed their buttocks and penises against the young girl.

According to The Advertiser the incident then went viral, with Facebook posts congratulating the gang of boys – comments like “this was so funny”, “I was laughing so much” and “you guys are legends” posted to the Facebook video.

The girl has since left the school, but continues to be harassed by the gang of boys and one girl, even though the incident is the subject of SA Police and Education Department investigations.

Her mum told The Advertiser that her daughter was previously a happy girl but had become increasingly withdrawn since 2011 when the bullying began. Her Mum said she received “particularly nasty” messages on social media.

The school was aware of the bullying – as her mother had asked the teachers for help and had told a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service worker she was being bullied by a girl and a gang of eight boys.

A few weeks ago Mamamia reported on a boy in the US who committed suicide after an extreme case of cyber bullying. 14-year old Matthew Burdette was bullied to death after a video of him taken secretly privately masturbating went viral.

It is an increasing problem with a study out today by cyber security firm McAfee showing that 80% of teenagers had witnessed cyber bullying with 40% a victim. 15% admitted doing the bullying.

The young South Australian teen’s mother told The Advertiser she had come forward because she wants people to be aware of just how bad cyber bullying has become.

“This is an example of bullying that is taking place in our schools and it leads to teenage suicide … thankfully, I still have my daughter. However, she is so very fragile,” the mother said.

South Australian anti-bullying organization Teen Support Network has called for more to be done, saying, “This has to stop.”

The mother came forward after a 16-year old boy was the first person charged under South Australia’s “humiliating and degrading” filming laws just last week.

The boy was charged with one count of engaging in humiliating or degrading filming without the consent of the person being filmed – details of his alleged crime have not been made public but he now faces a maximum one-year jail term.

Unfortunately for the girl who was tied up in the schoolyard her bullying is not within the time frame for this legislation, but it is being investigated by police.

Her Mother, like any parent just wants her daughter to be ok. “I admire my daughter’s strength of character in trying to deal with this alone and also completely understand why she has never spoken out before,” she said.

If you need help with Cyber-bullying or any other issue you can contact Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
Or Lifeline on 13 11 14
The National Centre Against Bullying provides more resources.