Cyberbullying or electronic bullying is becoming a major problem for many young people and it can be so hurtful that some have even resorted to suicide to stop the pain. Since cyberbullying happens electronically it’s more secretive.
People can use the internet to email or instant message someone hurtful and harassing abusive words or images. Cellular phones, websites and gaming sites are also places bullies use to prey on people. This type of bullying is attractive to cowardly types because they can do it anonymously. Some teens are particularly notorious for spreading rumors and lies about others and the internet offers them an attractive way to do this.
Ryan Patrick Halligan was a gentle teenager who was struggling through adolescence and was cyberbullied relentlessly until the pain became so unbearable for him that he committed suicide. His sexual orientation was questioned and then in an effort to quell those rumors he took up with a girl. She chatted with him online, but he didn’t know that she later publicized his personal messages and had a laugh at his expense with her friends. When he got to school he was teased and told he was a loser. This particular incident was enough to send him over the edge as he had been bullied previously online and at school.
How to help prevent bullying and what to do when it does happen:
It’s important that we as parents try to remember what it was like to be a teen and how horribly painful it can be when faced with public humiliation. Other things parents can do include keeping the computer in a public safe zone such as the kitchen, family room or living room. If chatting is allowed, make sure you know who your kids are talking to and that they don’t give their personal information out such as password or location to anyone. Sometimes kids give others their passwords as a test of friendship but it’s a bad idea. You never know who that information will be slipped to. Some people have gone so far as to steal another's account and impersonate them. If this does happen, contact your ISP and support team immediately to report it and get a new account.
- It’s not a good idea for children to open any email from people they don’t know and setting up an email account with a safe list of people to communicate with is something parents can encourage their children to do. If they do receive an abusive email it is best that they don’t respond to it as this can encourage the bully further.
- If the abuse continues it should be reported. Some children are nervous about telling anyone because they’re concerned it will make the situation worse. Reassure them that the more people know the better and that it’s not their fault. It’s against the law in many places to harass people. In Canada it is illegal and according to the Criminal Code of Canada it’s a criminal act to communicate repeatedly with someone if it is causing them to fear for their safety. It is also a violation of human rights if someone is spreading hate by insulting someone for their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or because of a disability.
Children who bully need help too. Often they’re being abused at home and acting out towards others to compensate for their own feelings of powerlessness. Children who bully are more likely to skip school and get in trouble with the law when they get older, so it’s important that an adult or teacher tries to reach out to them to find out what kind of home life they could have that is possibly contributing to their delinquent behavior.
References and Resources:
In memory of Ryan Patrick Halligan
