The Tragic Consequences of Cyberbullying on Young Lives: The Story of Alyssa Funke

Alyssa Funke, a 19-year-old University of Wisconsin at ‘River Falls’ student, tragically took her own life following a barrage of derogatory comments on her Twitter and Facebook accounts in response to a pornographic video she had posted. Despite the severity of the online harassment, law enforcement officials are currently not categorizing the incident as a criminal act.

During a video recording for CastingCouch-X released in March, Stella Ann, an 18-year-old individual hailing from Minnesota, expressed her enthusiasm to commence her professional journey. Unfortunately, as per a report by KMSP-TV, some of her past peers at Stillwater High School responded with a torrent of abusive messages after discovering her aspirations.

One individual tweeted, "Wow, you're a thot [prostitute]. Does her dad know?" Another wrote, "Nothing quite unites a school like a former pornographic actress. I suppose you could say word travels fast here in Stillwater hahah." The majority of the comments were too explicit to be shared on prominent media platforms.

On April 16, Alyssa Funke tragically took her own life on her family's boat. The incident sparked important discussions about the impact of cruel online comments, which may not always constitute criminal harassment, but can still have severe consequences. Especially when directed at individuals like Funke, who may not have the same level of support to handle such abuse.

Many students at the University of Wisconsin at River Falls, where Funke attended, believed that the online comments played a role in her death. In response, Funke's family started the Alyssa Stop Bullying Fund to raise awareness about cyberbullying.

While many donors to the fund expressed their support, some continued to post obscene comments, highlighting the prevalence of the issue. Despite this, investigators did not find the comments to be criminal harassment.

Carissa Keister, spokeswoman of the Stillwater Area Public Schools, emphasized the school's commitment to fighting bullying and harassment, including online.

Cyberbullying has become a significant issue, with at least 16 percent of students experiencing electronic bullying in the past year alone. Sexual harassment online can also take on gendered tones, with different standards for males and females.

While some may attribute Funke's death to her involvement in the sex industry, experts warn against overlooking the broader impact of cyberbullying on young people. Tasha Reign, a porn actress and gender studies student, highlighted the need to address the stigmatization of sex workers and the adult entertainment industry as part of the larger issue.

Despite her years of experience, Reign emphasized that sexual harassment is never painless, emphasizing the need for ongoing efforts to address online bullying and harassment.