Lived Experience Forum

[ArraDreaming]

I'm so upset. I have just been slandered online, on a community Facebook group.

for background: I used to run a what I would call successful landscaping business and worked hard to build this up, 2021 has been hectic with a new baby, moving house and a mountain bike injury where they thought I'd have a spinal cord injury  (did not) that has left me with back pain so bad some days I struggle to neel down and pick up our baby off the floor. I couldn't do much more than just a walk around the yard for about 6 weeks. 
About mid year I started a landscaping job for a local family, it was going to take a while to finish and everything was ok, but in the throws of COVID, looking after a baby and a toddler and then getting injured I had to take some leave to look after myself especially because after the accident I physically could not work. I told them this and that I was unable to complete the job in the time frame they wanted, and that I was taking some leave to look after myself and when I returned (only a couple of weeks at that stage, I thought things would progress faster than they did) I would be able to finish it. They were fine with this... but I ended up closing my business completely because it was too difficult to run during COVID and basically shit just hit the fan especially with my injury. Not explaining all of that now. 
 
I communicated with them about this. A lot of times. In fact I did not get a response and my calls went unanswered. I left messages. I told all of my customers. I didn't hear from those people  but I stupidly assumed that meant they got my messages. They were seen on iMessage though? 

Today: 

I'm called lazy, dishonest, that I do not work finish work in the time frame I said I would, untrustworthy and unreliable. They said they expected this to be done and now they are "left in the lurch" and needed this done months ago and now won't have a finished backyard for Christmas 

None of this is true about me. 

Not only has my business which is closed been slandered but my name personally. Using pictures from my own personal Facebook page to name and shame me for something I did not do. They took photos of their yard and said that I did that and left them with that mess. 
I did not do that. I am so hurt. I am at home with my kids today and I got a call from my partner about it at lunch time. This couldn't be any further from the truth but now I am being spoken about like a criminal. The comments on the post all support the original poster saying how horrible that was and how dare I do that, only one or two people bothered to search for my page and see that I am closed and comment that. I feel so upset and hurt by my own community right now. 

[AussieRecharger]

Hey @ArraDreaming

Sounds like you are having a difficult year.  Sometimes things don't work out the way we want them to and people can react differently to disappointment. If you have been clear about what's been happening, and they have not made the choices that are in their best intentions such as having this finished by the deadline they want, then the frustration is not really at you, but at the decisions, they made themselves to not change landscaper when you advised them that you could not complete the job in the timeframe.  It could also be that to get the job completed now is a lot more expensive as most things have skyrocketed in price this year. 

What would you like to happen now? 

[ArraDreaming]

I want my information taken off the page. And I want people who I thought respected me in the community to stop commenting and joining it and now I don’t even want to go to the supermarket as my face has been plastered all over the community page like a criminal!

[ArraDreaming]

There is only a small handful of people defending me, and I don’t even really know them they are just surface level nice comments
I have reported it to the group admin but nothing has been done about it.

[ArraDreaming]

I’m really upset by this and hurt

[flybluebird]

Hi @ArraDreaming 
That's such a blow, I'm sorry to hear that this has happened and I can only imagine the hurt you are feeling. As someone who holds integrity as a strong value for myself, having my name slandered would hit me hard too.
The internet hasn't helped in this day & age around things like this.
I hope that you get to have your details taken off - whether there is a request you can make around that with fb guidelines. 
And that you can feel supported again in your community. 

[pinklollipop15]

Hi @ArraDreaming sorry to hear that this has happened to you. 

As someone who has their own business, I can only imagine the upset you are feeling. Have you tried to speak with these people privately via Facebook messnger perhaps if they had not recieved the messages via other ways because Facebook is working for them maybe they would respond. Perhaps if you cannot speak to them directly you can explain it on their post that has defamed you or just talk to admin. This of course is your decision as people can be irrational when they are angry which sounds to be the case for these people. And of course there is the legal route as defamation of character can be taken to court. 

I hope you are feeling better about it soon. Please keep us updated. 

[Clawde]

Dear @pinklollipop15 @I hope my message finds you with a bourbon and coke in your hand and your other hand waving like queen that you are not amused everyone has good intentions but sometimes life just gets in the way, if you can't afford to get a team in to carry out any work undertaken to complete it, so be it, your not the first your not the last. 
you have done your best and this case you best is your best,look after  you and your family first.that is the most important .....if it gets to much delete the face book stuff it's only a weak cheap marketing thing anyway, or flood it with all your positive work that you have done, growing pains in any business can be excruciating unfair and unjust. 
look after your self first then your family your a lovely person that means well and will get it done when time permits, Keep Happy 😊 I wish we all could help more right now love from Clawde.

,

[pinklollipop15]

hi @Clawde was this post meant for @ArraDreaming ?

[Clawde]

Yes I am so sorry @pinklollipop15  @ArraDreaming  Don't be supprised get confusing for me he so sorry 🥲