Malicious Communications on Barton Voice Facebook Group

Cyberbullying is the use of digital technology by a person or group of people to harass, threaten, or humiliate someone. It can take many forms, such as spreading rumours or false information about someone online, posting social media content to damage someone's reputation, doxing (the act of revealing identifying information about someone online without their consent, such as name, photo, where they live or other identifying information) and sharing photos or videos of someone without their consent.

Cyberbullying often incites others to in-person harassment.

There are many examples of cyberbullying on Barton Voice Facebook Group, often from dogwalkers claiming other people's dogs have attacked their dogs when they have not, or that people are not picking up after their dogs when they do. This year, there have been several incidents of harassment, verbal abuse and social posts directed at me and my dogs - the most recent social media post is below.

Facebook's content and behaviour restrictions require users not to harass, degrade, or bully individuals to protect their safety and dignity. Facebook also prohibits content that violates personal privacy.

I have reported the above post, and it has been removed.

During the meeting with Ms Gouldthorpe on 7th October, she filmed me without my consent, claimed she was on the phone to 999 and that my dog had bitten her and bitten her rottweiler in the neck. She also threatened that she would get my dogs taken off me and that her "big" boyfriend and the police were on the way. During her filming without my consent, I demonstrated that my dog was standing calmly with her four dogs (also calm), that neither she nor her rottweiler had been bitten, and that none of her dogs were showing signs of any alarm or distress.

To protect my reputation and business, I would like to point out the following:

• Ms Gouldthorpe did NOT have her four dogs on leads.

• None of my dogs has EVER attacked or bitten any person or dog.

• All of my dogs have been to obedience training, as well as agility.

• I previously worked as a dog walker and home boarder, and have had numerous client dogs staying happily with my dogs for extended periods (some reviews below)

• Ms Gouldthorpe was previously a paid dogwalker for two of my dogs and sent me videos of them playing happily with other dogs off-lead.

• The dog in the picture is not a vicious pitbull type but an 18-month-old rescue mastiff that I have had since May this year. He is a work in progress, but has a friendly

  disposition.

Ms Gouldthorpe's social post falsely claimed her four dogs were on the lead

I do not know why Ms Gouldthorpe and others are harassing me and trying to damage my reputation and employment. Sadly, it seems many other dogwalkers have had similar experiences of bullying and trolling to mine.

Lastly, a little research has confirmed that Ms Gouldthorpe is not exactly a paragon of honesty... and was found guilty and imprisoned for stealing, using fraudulent VAT receipts and falsifying records.

The full article can be found here: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/single-mum-jailed-after-stealing-4333603

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