On May 12, 2023, Lindsay, a schoolgirl from Vendin-le-Vieil (Pas-de-Calais) ended up killing herself, after having suffered a year of school harassment. Through the case of the young teenager, the documentary Lindsay, the mechanics of harassmentbroadcast this Thursday, November 7 on France 2 on the occasion of the National Day Against Bullying at School, dissects the different stages that the majority of victims go through. From bickering in the schoolyard, rumors on social networks, to suicide attempts.
The opportunity to hear from volunteers and parents who have decided to mobilize to move the lines. A strong word that gives us pause for thought about our collective responsibility. The evening continues with a debate moderated by Julian Bugier on the causes and means of action.
How did you become interested in the subject?
France Télévisions wanted to honor the national day against school bullying. So she suggested we make a film on the subject. Initially, I wanted to focus on the Lindsay affair [.]. But by meeting families and associations, I said to myself that it would be interesting to instead make it a common thread that would allow us to address other stories.
How is Lindsay’s case emblematic?
When we talk about victims of school bullying, we often imagine young people of color or overweight. In reality, those who are harassed do not always have a visible difference. Lindsay didn’t have the profile of a victim at all. She was a young girl who felt good about herself and had friends. Anyone who has experienced school bullying can relate to his story.
Why then add other cases?
The various supporting testimonies each illustrate a particular angle. For example, do we respond to violence with violence? They are all the more powerful because they come from people with very different profiles: boys, girls, teenagers and older people. This makes it possible to make the subject universal, to provide some perspective on the consequences of harassment but also to show how society’s view of this problem has changed.
How did you convince the victims to testify?
I called them on the phone first. We had to explain the process to them and gain their trust. Then we saw each other. First without cameras, then with them. Talking about their story again was not easy for them because it put them back in the position of victims. But they agreed to give themselves up to prevent others from suffering the same fate.
Read also: “Our lives in the air”, a series on adolescent unhappiness adapted from the novel by a Breton woman
What do you remember from their testimonies?
That the phenomenon can affect everyone and leave indelible traces. Hence the importance of acting quickly. Today, several solutions exist such as number 3018 or the Phare program, a prevention and action plan against harassment and cyberharassment between students deployed in schools. It’s not going to solve the problem, but if a child in a yard stands up to protect a friend, it could save a life.
France 221 h.
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