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From The Times
May 8, 2008

Girl, 13, hanged herself after becoming obsessed with 'emo'

Hannah Fletcher

A schoolgirl killed herself after developing an obsession with a dark teenage sub-culture known as “emo”, an inquest was told.

Hannah Bond, 13, was found hanging from her bunkbed by her mother, Heather, in September last year in the family’s home in East Peckham, Kent.

It was only after her death that her parents discovered the true nature of the “emo” movement and the extent of Hannah’s involvement. Her online name was Living Disaster.

The term “emo”, short for emotional, originates from the alternative US music scene and refers to teenagers who wear black clothes and dark make-up, and listen to bands with lyrics about death and depression.

Raymond, Hannah’s father, told Maidstone Coroners’ Court: “The supervision of the internet was something I was never in control of. [Hannah] was always very protective of the screen whenever I came in to the room. I now know Hannah was in touch with emos all over the world, particularly in America.”

A few weeks before she died, Hannah’s parents had raised concerns with her about cuts on her wrists. But Hannah told them it was part of an initiation and, Mr Bond said, “she promised she would never do it again”.

Mrs Bond said: “[Hannah] called emo a fashion and I thought it was normal. She could be a bit moody but I thought it was just because she was a teenager . . . There were no signs this was going to happen.”

Recording a verdict of suicide, Roger Sykes, the Mid-Kent and Medway Coroner, said: “[Hannah] had become an aficionado of the emo fad. It is not glamorous, just simply a tragic loss of such a young life.”

Researchers at the University of Glasgow found that being part of a "dark teenage subculture" had a protective effect on vulnerable young people:

http://tinyurl.com/mnaar

How about trying to understand our kids, instead of condemning & suppressing them?

Ian Sturrock, Wrexham, UK

Why blame music? Why not blame yourself or society? What about taking care of your kids? Being there when and if they go through a difficult patch of their lives instead of just pushing them away,because you just can't be bothered listening to them?

Charles Bukowski, Sandnessjoen, Norway

it is ridiculous to blame it on 'emo'. It is just another thing to blame - one week its music, next its computer games, then movies, but has anyone actually reported the underlying problems why she killed herself rather than blame it on an entertainment medium, because its easy to? shame on this.

Elsinore, London,

Accusatory tones against yet another teenage fad, to try and cover over the real reasons why young people hurt themselves. We should be looking to our society and our families instead.

Jennifer Hynes, Plymouth, England

We were all friends of Hannah and this is making everything worse. THe newspapers have blown it all out of proportion. We were were just starting to get back to some sort of normality and this has brought it all back. Emo is not a fashion statement and Hannah wasn't like that. We would know!!!!

Hannah's friends, Paddock Wood,

Emo" culture is not "dark" and does not obsess with death and depression - quite the opposite. This sort of thinking only marginalises this group further and contributes towards the intolerance that led to the murder of a young girl in Yorkshire not so long ago.

Joanne, Hull,

Oh please! Emo doesn't kill people, in fact it probably helps young people who are battling with depression and their emotions. Whether her particular group was linked to encouraging suicide is anyone's guess but there are plenty of people out there who are alive and well and listen to this music

Dian, London,

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