Cyberbullying

Who cyberbullies and why??

"Cyberbullies

A quarter of youth who perpetrate cyberbullying are teenagers who have also bullied others offline. However, the remaining three quarters do not bully others in person – implying that the Internet has empowered youth who would never consider bullying anyone in the physical world to do so in the virtual world.

Nancy Willard of the Responsible Netizen Institute explains that technology can also affect a young person's ethical behaviour because it doesn't provide tangible feedback about the consequences of actions on others. This lack of feedback minimizes feelings of empathy or remorse. Young people say things online that they would never say face-to-face because they feel removed from the action and the person at the receiving end."

http://www.bewebaware.ca/english/cyberbullying.html

Bullying - Terms you need to know !

Bystander

A person who sees someone being bullied and either does or does not do anything to stop it.

Bullying

Physically or psychologically aggressive behavior or intentional “harm doing” toward a victim by one person or a group, generally carried out repeatedly and over time. Also known as "victimization."

Cooperative or Collaborative Anti-Bullying Policy

A type of policy in which teachers, students, and parents all contribute to reduce or eliminate bullying from schools.

Cyberbullying

Willful or repeated harm inflicted through mobile phones or the internet.

Harassment

Unsolicited words or actions intended to annoy, alarm, or abuse another individual.

Happy Slapping

An extreme form of bullying where physical assaults are recorded on mobile phones and distributed to others.

Neutral Strategy

A student or administrator's reaction to the bullying that sometimes works but sometimes makes things worse.

Perceived Characteristics

Bullies sometimes target a victim because they suspect, but do not know for sure, someone's race/ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.

Regular Exposure

Bullying of a specific victim that occurs at least 2 to 3 times a month or more.

Responsiveness

Students' perception of how well the school handles bullying.

Target

The victim who is on the receiving end of bullying.

Zero Tolerance Policy

School rules that punish any words, threats, or actions that are considered bullying, sometimes resulting in suspension or expulsion.

Sources:

Cyberbullying.us

Youth Voice Project

GLSEN

What to do if your child is Cyberbullying !

If your child is cyberbullying, it is critical to make him or her understand that actions taken in a virtual world can inflict real pain. Cyberbullying cannot be dismissed as “kids being kids.” Studies show that cyberbullies often fail in significant ways later in life. They are considerably more likely to be convicted of crimes, have failed relationships, and have trouble getting and keeping employment because they haven’t learned to get what they want in nonaggressive ways. Cyberbullies may also find themselves facing criminal prosecution for their online actions.

Establishing zero tolerance of cyberbullying, and assuring your children that they will be supported should they become victims are critical steps in providing a positive online environment for your family.

http://www.pta.org/members/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1512

Cyber Bullying !

Telling kids to just turn off the phone or stay offline is NOT an option. The online world is their connection to their peers, and turning these tools off just isolates them further.

There are specific actions you and your kids can take to prevent or cope with cyberbullying:
Never share information about their online activities, such as their gaming name or passwords, that could be used against them.
Never respond to a cyberbully’s attacks, which only escalates the abuse.
Save abusive messages or websites as evidence in case the bully needs to be reported to authorities.
Report abuse—Every Internet service should have a code of conduct and way for you can to notify them about abuse.
NEVER SHARE ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION ONLINE !!!

What else can you do to help prevent bullying from continuing?

What else can you do to help prevent bullying from continuing?

Teach your children that bullying most often happens when and where adults are not present. Be aware, and let the adults in the school and neighborhood know when and where bullying is most common. This is an important step to stop bullying from happening in the future.

What can you do to be part of the bullying solution ?

What can you do to be part of the bullying solution ?

Support those around me who are being bullied or victimized. The best way to stand up to bullying is to treat everyone with respect and kindness, especially those of us who are being targeted or bullied. You can make a big difference just by acknowledging the person who is being bullied and letting them know you are there for them!