Cyberbullying Part 1
(a part of the Blog Focus Week on Bullying)
When I was assigned this topic for our monthly blog focus week, I had no idea how much I’d learn. I know cyberbullying is an issue and I know every primetime crime drama has done an episode on it, but whether you realize it or not, cyberbullying is a huge issue. It’s a new wave of terror-instilling crime that seems to have no limits and is often very hard to track and monitor. With that in mind, we’re going to split this post up into two parts. Today, we’re going to educate ourselves on what cyberbullying is. Later this week, we’ll tackle part 2 and talk about some action we can take.
Cyberbullying is a whole new epidemic that wasn’t possible in years gone by. The internet has had the same effect on this type of bullying that it has had on pornography. With pornography in the past, you had to go somewhere, look someone in the eye and pay for it to get it. Today, you can access limitless amounts of porn in secret and complete anonymity. This has taken porn’s destructive nature to whole new lows. In much the same way, bullying has been affected. In times past, the school yard bully had to look people in the eye and sometimes fight to prove his superiority. Today, you may never know who’s attacking your child through the internet. This has led to a great expanse of this type of bullying and has even stretched the definition of bullying far beyond its physical counterpart.
Some great information on the nature and definition of cyberbullying can be found online. One very helpful website is http://stopcyberbullying.org From their website, here is a definition for cyberbullying:
“Cyberbullying” is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones… sometimes when a minor starts a cyberbullying campaign it involves sexual predators who are intrigued by the sexual harassment or even ads posted by the cyberbully offering up the victim for sex.
The methods used are limited only by the child’s imagination and access to technology. And the cyberbully one moment may become the victim the next. The kids often change roles, going from victim to bully and back again.
Children have killed each other and committed suicide after having been involved in a cyberbullying incident.
The National Crime Prevention Council (http://www.ncpc.org) also has some great info on cyberbullying. They list several great examples:
Some examples of ways kids bully online are
- Sending someone mean or threatening emails, instant messages, or text messages
- Excluding someone from an instant messenger buddy list or blocking their email for no reason
- Tricking someone into revealing personal or embarrassing information and sending it to others
- Breaking into someone’s email or instant message account to send cruel or untrue messages while posing as that person
- Creating websites to make fun of another person such as a classmate or teacher
- Using websites to rate peers as prettiest, ugliest, etc.
The bottom line is that cyberbullying is a real issue and is likely facing students in your church, your youth group or even in your own family. Take some time to get yourself up to speed on what it is and later this week we’ll hit a couple of thoughts on how to take action.
For more on this issue, check out these posts:
Warning Signs of Bullying – Mike Calhoun
19 Years Later—A victim reflects – Bobby Francis
Bullied To Death at Age 13: A Father’s Response – Mike Calhoun
Beyond the Violence – John Powley
Cyberbullying Part 1 – Nathan Shoultz
Cyberbullying Part 2: Taking Action – Nathan Shoultz
Parents vs. Bullies – John Powley
7 Steps to take if Your Child is Being Bullied – Ray Deck II
