Let's just paint a picture of a bullying circumstance...
The normal response: Two kids are out on the playground. One is making fun of the other child and maybe even pushing or hurting the child, while the other child is sheepishly taking the torture. We want our kids to "speak up" if we see this going on, and we want them to go tell someone.
The more real response: One teenager is on their twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media account saying horrible things about or to the other person. They will either tag them in the post, message them privately so that no one else knows what they are saying, or they will make a vague status saying something mean and the other teenager knows they are referring to them.
Cyberbullying is very real. Social media outlets have made bullying so much easier. A person that would normally talk behind someone's back instead of saying anything directly to the person, can now hop online and bully who ever they wish without having to see them. It gives them a false sense of security and allows bullying to occur easier. We have made sure our children understand to go tell someone if they are physically being bullied, but we need to find a way to prepare our children on how to deal with cyberbullying (more on the psychological side). Our children need to understand that those who bully this way, are ultimately the insecure ones who need help. That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt those who are being bullied any less. If you or someone you know are being cyberbullied, here are a few tips on how to deal with it thanks to wiki how:
1. Save Every Message:
You may want to forget about those terrible messages and words quickly, but it's best if you can save the messages. It could help you out later when you do go and tell an adult about being bullied. So take a quick screen shot, hit save, or print out the messages.
2. Try not to participate:
It may be the hardest thing you do. The bully wants you to get upset and reply. That's how they get their satisfaction. If you can completely ignore them, they may quit bothering you altogether. If you do feel that you need to reply, just remember, they can save and copy every response you make as well. Do not say anything you would regret for anyone else to see, because you never know who might read it.
3. Identify the person:
If they are hiding behind an unfamiliar screen name or picture, do a little research. Search your email, social media, etc. and see if you can find out who the person is. If you are totally unsuccessful, get an adult involved. They may be able to search the IP address to see who is the bully.
4. Approach the bully:
If you know the person, approach them. When they are no longer behind their veil of the computer, their whole demeanor may change. If you stay calm and attempt to talk to them about the issue, it may deter them from continuing to bully.
5. If it's severe, press charges: {I'm going to copy this directly from WikiHow because I couldn't say it better myself}
"Bullying of any kind is illegal in most states. After letting a parent into the situation, allow them to contact the bully's parents (if the school has not already done this). If you've suffered severely from this, or experienced humiliation or violent threats/acts, this girl/boy can be suspended, expelled, or even arrested, depending on how severe they have acted towards you."
With this post, I truly hope it can help some of you out there that are being cyberbullied. No form of bullying is ever ok. I feel cyberbullying needs to be taken a little more seriously. It may not be a physical form of bullying, but the permanent psychological damage it could cause to a child is terrible. If you know some one who is bullying or has been bullied of any form, SPEAK UP. It truly can save lives.
Here's a few other resources that could help you:
The BULLY Project
StopBullying.gov
KidPower.org
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