A mother who won a campaign to get anti-bullying legislation brought in after her daughter took her own life is to address the European Parliament this week.
Nicole Fox took her own life in 2018 when she was 21 after years of vile abuse and online death threats. Heartbroken Jackie worked tirelessly to have measures introduced and Coco’s Law came into effect in Ireland in February 2021, reports the Irish Sunday Mirror.
Coco’s Law, which is also known as the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, includes being able to prosecute those who distribute non-consensual intimate images.
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Jackie said she never imagined she would be flying to Brussels to tell her story on Tuesday in the hope that Coco’s Law will become a
European wide legislation.
Speaking to the Irish Sunday Mirror, Jackie said it’s a bittersweet moment as had her daughter not have taken her own life she wouldn’t have to fight for such changes.
She said: “On May 2, I’m going over to Brussels to talk in front of 179 leaders from 27 countries at the European Parliament. They want to bring Coco’s Law into every European country. It’s too much to even think about.
“I achieved what I wanted to for Nicole and her legacy will live on with the legislation being brought into law in Ireland but to see it being brought in across Europe is too much to comprehend.
“I have to go to Strasbourg in June to do another one. In Ireland there are already a few people in prison under Coco’s Law which is fantastic, with so many up for prosecution too. It’s going to get bigger here, imagine what it will be like when it comes through in Europe.
“The one thing that is holding me back from being so proud of all this and that is that had the law been there when Nicole was going through this she might still be here.”
Nicole, from Clondalkin in West Dublin, received disgusting threats and taunts on a messenger group she was a member of and was scared to leave the house in the weeks before her death. She showed her shocked mum some of the twisted messages but refused to report them to gardai for fear of retaliation.
In May 2016, Nicole, then 18, took an overdose of pills and was rushed to hospital where she spent four days. But instead of backing off the bullies targeted her even more. Jackie’s worst nightmare came true when she returned home on January 18, 2018, to find Nicole barely breathing.
She passed away at 5.26am on January 20. Jackie said: “It’s bittersweet. She should still be here and should have been protected and she wasn’t. I had to lose Nicole in order for other people to gain protection.
“Nicole will never be forgotten. I want everyone to know who she is.”
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