Bullied Kuwaiti teenager of mixed ethnicity takes own life: reports
Bullied Kuwaiti teenager of mixed ethnicity takes own life: reports
The 15-year-old girl, whose mother is 'Asian', was suffering from poor mental health due to bullying by her schoolmates, security sources reportedly said.
2 min read
More than two-thirds of Kuwait's population are foreigners [Getty]
A teenage Kuwaiti girl of mixed ethnicity took her own life after her schoolmates bullied her, according to local media reports.
The 15-year-old girl was found dead on the ground below a 14-storey building in the Al-Fintas neighbourhood of Kuwait City, local news outlet Al-Rai reported on Tuesday, citing security sources.
The girl suffered from a "bad psychological state" due to bullying, the source said.
The girl's mother is "Asian", Al-Rai quoted the sources as saying, without specifying her ethnicity or nationality.
Her death has been registered as a suicide, the sources said, but investigations are continuing.
The reports did not state if the girl's mixed ethnicity was the reason why she was bullied.
However, social media users reacting to news of her death condemned racism and racist bullying in Kuwait.
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As in other Gulf states, a significant proportion of Kuwait's 4.3 million inhabitants are foreigners.
Foreign workers account for more than two-thirds of Kuwait's population, according to Human Rights Watch.
Many are vulnerable to abuse due to the restrictive kafala sponsorship system.
Kuwait has recently seen a number of suicide attempts among members of the stateless bidoon community, who suffer systemic discrimination and do not have the legal protections that come with citizenship.
The following helplines can be contacted if you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts:
UK: The Samaritans
US: The Samaritans
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