Cyber-Bullying Facts:
- Takes place on-line and via text messages to cell phones
- Cyberbullies usually know their targets
- 42% of kids in grades 4-8 report being bullied on-line and 58% never tell
Cyberbullying can be experienced as harsher than other kinds of bullying because:
- There is a greater 'distance' between bully and target, diminishing a bully's inhibitions
- Home feels like less of a safe haven as cyberbullies can reach their targets there
- It is far-reaching: rumors and personal information can quickly be broadcast to many others
- Bullies can hide behind anonymous cyber ID's, which creates a sense of the "faceless bully"
Warning signs your child may already be the target of a cyberbully:
- Loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping
- School avoidance or declining grades
- Diminished interest in friends or activities
- Dramatic increase or decrease in time spent on-line, or in cell phone bills
- (These can also be signs of depression, a potential side-effect of bullying)
What's a parent to do?
- Keep internet access in a public place (never in child's bedroom)
- Explain the risks. Teach children to never reveal password or personal information they wouldn't want their whole class to read
- Be alert for any warning signs
- Tell kids to save and print out evidence of bullying behavior, and to tell a responsible adult. Bear in mind that kids often don't tell because they fear parents will revoke their internet privileges
- Report bullying to ISP and alert police if it involves threats to harm
- Block cyberbullies' messages and e-mails
- Make sure children understand that bullying of any kind isn't their fault
- Encourage children to befriend kids who are bullied
- Share information with other parents
- Best tip? Ramp up the rapport with your kids
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