Getting behind ‘Coco’s Law'

Tackling online harassment is a priority and one that should be addressed in law local labour Party representative Liam van der Spek has said.

Mr van der Spek has backed the call for Labour’s ‘Coco’s Law’ Bill to become law. 'Coco’s Law' named after a young woman who took her own life after being bullied. Nicole Fox Fenlon, known as Coco, died in Dublin last year after suffering a campaign of bullying that prompted her mother, Jackie Fox, to campaign for more stringent laws.

The Labour Party’s Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill or ‘Coco’s Law’ Bill will tackle online harassment. The Bill will be reintroduced to the Dáil this week by Labour Justice Spokesperson Brendan Howlin.

The Bill proposes to introduce new offences to deal with “revenge pornography”; the taking and distribution of intimate images without consent, whether or not there is intent to cause harm or distress; and harassment to include all forms of communication including through digital communications about another person

The Labour Party representative highlighted the importance of the Bill: “There is a pressing need to tackle the epidemic of online harassment and Labour’s Bill to tackle this must be prioritised by the new Government who have agreed to support the Bill.

“I want to pay tribute to the two-year long campaign by Jackie Fox in support of Coco’s law in honour of her daughter Coco who took her own life after being bullied online. The Government need to agree to put this Bill on the order paper of the Dáil as soon as possible to ensure that this vital piece of legislation becomes law as soon as possible.”

Mr van der Spek concluded by saying: “Online harassment is a serious problem and the existing laws covering harassment are inadequate. The internet and social media have become part of our everyday lives and unfortunately the amount of abuse has risen, the law has not kept up and needs to change to give victims the protection they need.”