Anti-bullying advocate: Sexting / Bullying / Cyberbullying
Program Titles
- Digital dating abuse
- She never expected the image would be spread like wildfire
- Consequences of sexting photos
- You can be stalked electronically. You can’t even see your predator coming
- Abuse online & through cell phones
- Victims of digital dating violence
When Allyson Pereira was 16 in high school, she sent a naked picture of herself to her boyfriend, which went viral. Her ex-boyfriend forwarded it to everyone on his contact list, and by the next week, it had circulated throughout three local schools, four middle schools, and five elementary schools.
Her picture was sent to parents, friends, teachers, and strangers.
The bullying and harassment began almost immediately, with people screaming “ho, whore, and slut” at Allyson in the hallways, threats from girls whose boyfriends had received the picture, and vandalization of her home.
She was scared to go to school and anywhere public.
She couldn’t even escape the harassment at home because she received phone calls, text messages, and cyber abuse on the computer.
Ally had her friends’ parents ask her out, bosses who told her they would find her picture and rate it, and teachers who commented in class about it.
For three years, Ally kept quiet and denied it.
After seeing how sexting was changing other teenagers’ lives, she chose to help in any way possible.
She has been featured on MTV: Sexting in America, The View, HLN, Good Morning America, Fox News, MTV: Disconnected Aftershow, and Dr. Drew.
She has also been traveling to middle and high schools, speaking to kids about the dangers of sexting and the repercussions of bullying.
She has also worked with MTV’s A Thin Line as a member of their Street Team (She is one of thirteen appointed.) In doing so, she has met many teenagers who claimed to have been considering suicide until hearing her story.
Most recently, Ally helped change sexting laws to get rid of the sex offender status and is currently working to change laws nationwide.
The State House Assembly recognized her work and awarded her the title “Rising Young Woman of Change.”
She is currently writing a book about her struggles with sexting and bullying.
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