What is Cyberbullying…from stopbullying.gov
Parents and educators should be able to spot common warning signs of cyber bullying. With the ever-increasing rate at which technology is available it only stands to reason one should expect an increase in cyber bullying.
Because cyber bullying is usually experienced at an age when parents can expect their child to act differently it can be difficult to tell the difference between a bad mood and warning signs your child is being cyber bullied. If you have doubts, be sure to strike up a conversation with your son or daughter and let them know they are free to ask for your help.
1. Symptoms of Withdrawal: Has your child veered from their normal routine? A few symptoms to look for include constantly waking up later than usual or sleeping more, not hanging out with their normal crowd of friends, or exhibiting a lack of emotion while at home.
2. First-Hand Bullying: If you know your child has already experienced bullying first-hand then the odds that your child is being bullied online are much higher. Bullies don’t just stop bullying once school lets out — they have access to tablets, smartphones, and computers which let them bully people online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
3. Low Self-Esteem: Both teachers and parents should be able to notice if a student or a child is exhibiting symptoms of low self-esteem. It could be something as simple as your daughter making a comment about being too fat even though she’s a perfectly healthy size. Children, not too different from adults, can be very passive-aggressive in the way they ask for help.
4. Extra Aggression: Another cyber bullying warning sign to look out for is added aggression in your child or student. Teachers, are your normally passive students getting involved in verbal or physical altercations at school? Parents, are your sons or daughters stomping around your house and screaming at each other more than usual? It may be another warning sign of online bullying.
5. Lower Grades: When kids are cyber bullied many tend to lose focus on homework and extra-curricular activities. If your A-student is getting C’s or D’s on a regular basis it might time to speak with them about any problems they might be having.
This list contains only a few of the warning signs of cyber bullying that you should look for. Other warning signs to look out for include drug or alcohol use, skipping school, or health problems. It is very important to remember that as a parent or teacher your kids should be able to trust you. Make it clear to them that you will provide a safe environment free of judgement and they will be more likely to open up to you.
Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.
Why Cyberbullying is Different
Kids who are being cyberbullied are often bullied in person as well. Additionally, kids who are cyberbullied have a harder time getting away from the behavior.
- Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and reach a kid even when he or she is alone. It can happen any time of the day or night.
- Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source.
- Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts, and pictures is extremely difficult after they have been posted or sent.
Effects of Cyberbullying
Cell phones and computers themselves are not to blame for cyberbullying. Social media sites can be used for positive activities, like connecting kids with friends and family, helping students with school, and for entertainment. But these tools can also be used to hurt other people. Whether done in person or through technology, the effects of bullying are similar.
Kids who are cyberbullied are more likely to:
- Use alcohol and drugs
- Skip school
- Experience in-person bullying
- Be unwilling to attend school
- Receive poor grades
- Have lower self-esteem
- Have more health problems
Frequency of Cyberbullying
The 2008–2009 School Crime Supplement (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics) indicates that 6% of students in grades 6–12 experienced cyberbullying.
The 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey finds that 16% of high school students (grades 9-12) were electronically bullied in the past year.
Research on cyberbullying is growing. However, because kids’ technology use changes rapidly, it is difficult to design surveys that accurately capture trends.