I am the mother of an 18 year old girl who nearly lost her life to Anorexia. She lost more than 2 years of her life as she became ill when almost 16 and had to come out of school with all that follows on from that . She has paid a huge price in many ways on her health but she is alive and for that we are all grateful .She is now working hard at recovery.
There is not a lot I don't know, from a parents perspective on this illness.I meet regularly with expert professionals in this field, am part of a supportive network of parents of ill children, and my own recovering daughter involves me in what she has experienced and the experiences of many of her peer group, both ill, in recovery, and occasionally, recovered.
The use of these sites was very much part of her illness and those of her friends. They fan up, encourage and motivate young people to starve themselves, give advice on dangerous 300 cals per day diets, tutorials on how to vomit, advice on how to abuse laxatives, psychologically abuse fragile vulnerable young people with taunts of being "to weak to starve properly" and so on. They give advice on "how to be a better (ie stricter) anorexic. The charity BEAT, who do amazing work have cited research on how these sites are increasingly linked with pornography (another poster mentioned this correctly) as they show pictures of very ill young women in various stages of undress. There are some very sick people out there.
I can repeat, that my daughter and many of those she knows , lived on these sites for THINSPIRATION. It is not easy to be anorexic - you are in fact hungry - but you are eventually too sick to take food and efforts by parents and professionals to help are compromised by these sites. This is now an issue that did not exist 15 years ago - the sites I mean.
I am signing this petition because something has to be done. Internet providers will not host them if they are not allowed to France has banned these sites and Italy are currently campaigning to have them stopped. Yes, it will drive them underground perhaps - this is what happened with child pornography, sites that encourage suicide etc, but much better that, than right in the face of our vulnerable young people.
It could happen to you, it could happen to anyone. It hit us like a train.
Please help bring this issue to the fore by signing - from one mother to another It will highlight the issue of Eating Disorders generally with the government and help make a start on improving treatment options, funding, etc. In a way, that fact that the petition might be slightly comtroversial is a good thing - gets more attentions and hopefully headlines.
I nearly lost my daughter. I am still trying to rebuild myself too after the experience but I am one of the lucky ones .Let's help stop this happening.