ALLYSON PEREIRA

When Allyson was 16 and a sophomore in a high school in northern NJ a naked picture of her went viral.  Her ex boyfriend had forwarded it to everyone in his contact list and by the next week it had circulated throughout three local high schools, four middle schools, and five elementary schools.  Her picture was sent to parents, friends, family, teachers, and strangers.  The bullying and harassment began almost immediately, with people screaming "ho, whore, and slut" at Allyson in the hallways, threats from girls whose boyfriends had received the picture, and vandalization to her home.  She was scared to go to school and anywhere public.  She couldn't even escape the harassment at home because she received phone calls, text messages, and cyber abuse on the computer.  Ally had her friends' parents ask her out, bosses who told her they were going to find her picture and rate it, and teachers who made comments in class about it.

For three years Ally kept quiet and denied it.  After seeing how sexting was changing other teenagers' lives she chose to help in any way possible.  She has been featured on MTV: Sexting in America, The View, HLN, Good Morning America, Fox News, MTV: Disconnected Aftershow, and Dr. Drew.  She has also been traveling to middle and high schools speaking to kids about the dangers of sexting and the repercussions of bullying. She has also worked with MTV's A Thin Line's as a member of their Street Team (She is one of thirteen appointed.) In doing so, she has met many teenagers who claimed to have been considering suicide until hearing her story.  E-mail Ally for inquiries on having her speak at your school! 

Most recently, Ally helped change NJ's sexting laws to get rid of the sex offender status and is currently working to change laws nationwide. She was recognized for her work from the NJ State House Assembly and awarded: "Rising Young Woman of Change." She was also invited to The White House to speak about bullying.