Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a growing problem that seems to move parallel to the technology that is becoming available on a daily basis.  Cyberbullying is when a method of technology is used to bully someone.  There are numerous ways of cyberbullying that include cell/smart phones, computers, and tablets and using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter as well as text, chat and websites.  What will usually happen is victims are sent inappropriate or mean text messages or emails; lies or rumors are spread via social networking sites or websites, or something that is completely embarrassing to the victim like pictures or videos (Stopbullying.gov, 2012).

The big thing with cyberbullying is that it is something that kids cannot get away from.  I use to be to get away from a bully you are safe in your own home, but not anymore.  Cyberbullying is something that is 24 hours a day, every day and difficult to avoid once it starts.  Messages, photos and videos can be posted anonymously and spread quickly so other people can view what has been posted.  The next problem is getting the inappropriate material taken down to minimize exposure.  Unfortunately, other people can pile on and/or pass it along to others to view (Stopbullying.gov, 2012).

 

Stopbullying.gov (2012) provided a list of what victims are more likely to do if they are cyberbullied:

 

v  Use alcohol and drugs

v  Avoid going to school

v  Lower academic achievement

v  Experience bullying face to face

v  Increased  incidence of health problems

v  Have a lower self-esteem

 

According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance of 2011 found in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, over 16% of students were cyberbullied.  Females are bullied by this method more than males, 22.1% and 10.8% respectively, and the occurrence happened much more amongst white females ( CDC, 2012).

 

 

References

 

Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  (2012).  Youth risk behavior surveillance – United States, 2011.  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 61(4), 1-162. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6104.pdf

 

Stopbullying.gov. (2012).  What is cyberbullying.  Retrieved from http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/index.html

Parents: Helpful Hints to be in Touch

As I have stated earlier in the blog, when children finally report the bullying problem, it is usually to their parents first and then teachers (Michael & Manocha, 2011).  It is very important for parents to be in touch with their children and their children’s surroundings.  I am passing along some Do’s and Don’ts developed by Michael and Manocha (2011) for parents to keep in mind when they are helping their children with bullying. 

 

Do Not:

Ø  Tell your children to ignore what is going on.  Ignoring it may work the first time, but a persistent bully will not let it go and the situation will become more serious.

Ø  Point the finger at the child and assume they brought this on themselves by provoking someone else that is doing the bullying.

Ø  Encourage the child to retaliate; this usually will have the whole situation escalate into something larger and dangerous.

Ø  Disapprove on how your child dealt with the bullying.  Open communication and trust with a parent/child relationship is very important so they know someone they can go to about the problem.

Ø  Confront or contact the parents of the bully.

 

Do:

Ø  Listen to everything your child has to say.  Ask questions to see who was involved and what exactly happen at the incident(s).  Get Details!

Ø  Empathize with your child and express love to them and how proud you are he or she told you about the bullying.

Ø  Get input from your child on what can be done to help them and the situation,

Ø  Comfort your child be letting them know that you will be part of the solution to getting the problem resolved.

Ø  Immediately contact the teacher(s) and administration about the problem and work with everyone on a sensible solution.

Ø  If the bullying continues, move your concerns up the chain of command within the school district until the problem is resolved and your child is safe.

Victim Standing up for Herself

Up in Michigan, Whitney Kropp was a victim of a prank by a bunch of bullies.  See how she stands up for herself here.

Another Bullying case in Arlington, TX turned into Heighened Awareness

For those that have not watched the news or watch a different source, WFAA in Dallas/Fort Worth did a news piece on October 8th on bullying and one girl, Amanda Bueno, is trying to bring an end to it.  Setting up anit-bullying rally and writing to the school board to raise awareness.

Arlington Lamar has been in the news twice within the last couple of weeks with another student being bullied on his football team and attempted suicide.

Administration has been looking into matters at Lamar and punishment will be handed out in bullying cases.  I am glad to see bullying will not be accepted.

Bullying PSA

 

Bullying in schools is a larger problem than many people know.  Kids that were surveyed from ages 8 to 15, roughly 3^rd to 10^th grade, stated that bullying is a larger problem that peer pressure to use alcohol, drugs, have sex or racism (Michael & Manocha, 2011).  According to the National Center of Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 1 in 4 students experience bullying (DeVoe and Bauer, 2011).  In terms of school, bullying victims typically have lower attendance, lower academic achievement, and poor attitude toward school.   Young people with serious psychosocial problems might experience problems associated with attention, behavior, and emotional regulation, which interfere with their ability to learn (Michael & Manocha, 2011, pp. 99).  Depending on the situation, many suffer from psychological stress and have trouble dealing with it in a healthy way.  Unfortunately, in some instances, suicide is committed to escape.

 

 

 

 

Other problems that stem from bullying are 66% of the 37 mass school shootings were committed by people that felt bullied and revenge was the main focus in their actions.  Another problem discovered from long-term studies is some adults are suffering from mental health problems due to being victims of bullying at an early age (Michael & Manocha, 2011). 

One problem many adults face is that many victims do not report abuse or bullying in fear of the situation getting worse or they are embarrassed.  In fact more than half of victims said they would not tell an adult about being bullied.  When children finally report the bullying problem, it is usually to their parents first and then teachers (Michael& Manocha, 2011).  The large problem is the majority of bullying is done at school or on the way to or home from school.  Making sure the proper information is provided to make sure that the bullying will not occur or at the very least is under watchful eye on school grounds.  The proper plan for the victims travel to and from school is very important so they are protected from the manipulation of bullies.

 

References

DeVoe, J.F., and Bauer, L. (2011). Student Victimization in U.S. Schools: Results From the 2009 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCES 2012-314). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.  Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012314.pdf  

Michael, M., & Manocha, R. (2011). Bullying - effects, prevalence and strategies for detection. Australian Family Physician, 40(3), 98-102.



Bullying Prevention Month

October is Bullying Prevention Month.  Please take special care to see if someone you know, especially a child, is being bullied and helping the Child.  Be active and part of a movement that stands up against bullying and will not allow it to be part an accepted part of our culture.  Come back soon and look at ways you can help!

To see the history of Bullying Prevention Month, please click here.