What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is a form of deliberate bullying that is carried out through internet services such as email, chat rooms and mobile phones.
Parents:
- talk to your children about how to behave online and listen if they are worried.
- learn about cyberbullying from websites such as Childline and CEOP.
- Cyberbullying is wrong. Telling your child to ignore it isn't always enough.
Cyberbullying news flash:
1. Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online and 1 quarter of those kids have had it happen to them more than once. It's a BIG problem.
2. Girls are twice as likely to be victims of cyberbullying than boys. But ANYONE can be a victim of cyberbullying.
3. Recent news has it that a girl in Florida has committed suicide after a dozen or more girl's bullied her online. Cyberbullying is a serious problem. DON'T ignore it.
Cyberbullying is harmful
because it can:
- make you think less of yourself
- make you feel as if you have no friends, that everyone hates you, everyone is against you and that you are on your own.
- make you feel like there is no longer any point in living
- in the worst cases, the victim
may commit suicide
So...
STOP CYBERBULLYING NOW and make sure no one else feels like this.
If you know a victim of cyberbullying, give them your support, be a friend and show them useful websites that can help them.
If you're a victim of cyberbullying:
- Tell an adult that you trust so that they can help you deal with the problem,
- keep a record of whatever the bully sends you in hard copy,
- block the bully so that he can't send you any more messages
What YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY NOT DO is let what the bully posts get the better of you. DON'T believe the bully. Also, never sink to the bully's level and make a cyberbullying website about someone else.
Useful websites for help and information about cyberbullying:
