Alex Perry pays tribute to Charlotte Dawson seven years after her suicide and says the internet trolls who abused her have ‘blood on their hands’
Alex Perry has paid tribute to his late friend, Charlotte Dawson, seven years after her death by suicide.
The fashion designer, 58, shared several photos of the pair to Instagram, sharing his moving recollections, while also slamming the online trolls who attacked her in the tumultuous days before her death.
He wrote: ‘Years ago we lost our beautiful Charlotte. It doesn’t get any easier. I know she’s a beautiful angel now, but I’d prefer that she was still here with us, delivering her special kind of magic and irrepressible laughter.
Moving: Alex Perry has paid tribute to his late friend, Charlotte Dawson, seven years after her death by suicide. Pictured together in 2013
‘Her family and friends will never stop the fight against online hate speech, threats, and abuse, if you ever sent Charlotte a message of this kind… You have blood on your hands. Rest with the highest my friend’.
TV host and model Charlotte took her own life after receiving abuse from vicious trolls on Twitter.
Famed for TV shows such as Australia’s Next Top Model, the New Zealand-born star, who was just 47, had a history of depression.
In an Instagram post on Monday, he wrote: ‘Years ago we lost our beautiful Charlotte. It doesn’t get any easier. I know she’s a beautiful angel now, but I’d prefer that she was still here with us, delivering her special kind of magic and irrepressible laughter.’ Pictured together in 2013
Charlotte was found dead in her Woolloomooloo, Sydney home on February 22, 2014. Her death was later ruled a suicide.
In the past, Alex told The Daily Telegraph that he believes social media platforms need to be more responsible for what occurs on their watch.
‘You’ve got to have a duty of care. If you’re providing an environment – whether it’s physical or virtual – where people can be harmed, it is your responsibility to have the mechanisms in place,’ Alex said.
He went on to say that his own behaviour online changed, revealing: ‘I deleted Twitter after Charlotte died because I just thought, ‘I don’t like that environment’.’
Horrific end: TV host and model Charlotte took her own life after receiving abuse from vicious trolls on Twitter. Charlotte was found dead in her Sydney home in 2014. Pictured in 2009
Alex says he himself began to be affected by what he saw said about him social media, and believed he was hated.
‘I remember getting to a point where I thought, ‘People hate me. Like, I’m hated.’ And I wouldn’t post things. Then I just thought, ‘Hang on a minute, I’ve got to step away and look at it in reality’.’
The fashion designer added that, ‘Charlotte should have been able to be online unencumbered. We all should.’
For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14, or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Alex also lashed out at online trolls, writing: ‘Her family and friends will never stop the fight against online hate speech, threats, and abuse, if you ever sent Charlotte a message of this kind… You have blood on your hands’
