Many may say bullying is just a part of life...kids go through it, they get through it...move on. However, we are finding out that there are some drastic differences between cyber bullying and traditional bullying. First, cyber bullying can follow you home, traditionally someone that was being bullied could always find a safe haven at home...now bullying can follow you home and be in your living room, kitchen, your child's bedroom, or even sitting next you on the couch (depending of course on where your home computer is located). Further, cyber bullying can be virtually invisible...invisible to all parents (those of bully or victim), to teachers, to guardians, to mentors, to siblings, and anyone else. What teachers or parents could control of playground/classroom bullying...now slips dangerously undetected under the radar. Finally, bullies can hide their identity on the web and never be held accountable for their actions which is both detrimental to the bullier and victim. The bullier may never learn the consequences of their actions and for the victim justice may never be served. To learn more about recent bullying trends and statistics click here.
Stepping off the deep end even more, cyber bullying is now being blamed for many recent teen and adolescence suicides. Watch these videos to learn even more...
On a positive note, there are great strides being taken in making people aware of cyberbullying and how to stop it...
There are many great websites on the net dedicated to fighting cyberbullying, look them up and become informed. If you are being cyberbullied or know someone who is, tell someone you trust and ask for help!
Websites for Help: Cyber Bully Help: http://www.cyberbullyhelp.com/
ReachOut: http://au.reachout.com/find/articles/cyberbullying
National Crime Prevention Council: http://www.ncpc.org/cyberbullying
Wired Safety: http://www.wiredsafety.org/
Image used with permission from flickr:creative commons.
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