Mum fights to have Coco's Law against cyberbullying extended across the EU
Jackie Fox successfully campaigned for the introduction of an online bullying law in Ireland in honour of her late daughter, Nicole 'Coco' Fox. File picture: Patrick Browne
The mother who fought to introduce laws against online bullying following the death of her daughter is now in the EU pushing for Coco’s Law to be introduced Europe-wide.
Nicole ‘Coco’ Fox took her own life aged 21 after being relentlessly bullied online and abused physically for three years.
Since her tragic death in 2018, her mother, Jackie Fox, has campaigned tirelessly for legislation to better protect others from online bullying and abuse.
In 2021, Ireland adopted the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act, known as ‘Coco’s Law’ which criminalised the distribution of intimate images without consent, introducing a jail term of up to seven years for the offence, and updated pre-existing harassment legislation.
So this is happening quicker than I thought .I was supposed to go to Strasbourg for the next level in mid June .Now I fly out tomorrow 8th May for a number of meetings with the head of the European Parliament members COCO'S LAW FOR EUROPE Nicole Fox ❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/Zo04cyIm58
— Jackie Fox (@JackieFox21) May 7, 2023
Ms Fox is now meeting with the European Parliament to talk about introducing Coco’s Law in Europe.
Since the death of her daughter, Ms Fox has maintained that the online bullying was worse than the physical abuse her daughter suffered, because the online abuse “got into your head” and was very hard to escape.
Fine Gael MEP and former justice minister Frances Fitzgerald is supporting Ms Fox's fight to have Coco's Law introduced across Europe and to be enacted in all 27 EU states.
“Cyberbullying must be tackled at EU level," Ms Fitzgerald said.
"We must ensure that people across Europe have the same level of protection against online abuse.
"That is why I am working to finalise new legislation to combat cyberbullying as part of a broader suite of measures to properly address violence against women in the EU."
She said that if agreed, this will be the first such EU legislation in the area.
"This as an international problem not just a domestic issue. We need greater protection internationally to ensure more lives are saved," Ms Fitzgerald said.
"We have already seen the tragic consequences of such abuse across Europe, including in Ireland.
"Tragedies must compel us to action to ensure that no other person has to go through the same pain and torment that Coco experienced.
“Bullying kills — we have a responsibility to prevent it as best we can."
She said people should take inspiration from Jackie Fox for the way, even in grief, she has fought hard to ensure Coco's Law has saved the lives of those who are victims of cyberbullying.
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