There have always been bullies, but the internet has opened up a whole new realm of bullying – cyberbullying. Cyber-bullies are people (children included) who harass other children online.
While this is not officially considered an online crime, it can be detrimental to your child’s self esteem and there have been many reports of children who have committed suicide as a result of bullying.
The internet often gives users the illusion of anonymity and therefore, many think they write and say whatever they want without much thought.
Cyber-bullying can include cursing your child, spreading rumours about them and posing as your child in chat rooms.
Some bullies will make threats to them, upload derogatory images of them and even text them nasty or frightening messages.
Children who are being bullied online will often know who the cyber bully is, but some cyber bullies hide create a fictitious account for the purpose of bullying.
If you’re a parent whose child is old enough to use the internet on their own, it’s important to talk openly to your child about staying safe online and what they can do if they are attacked by a cyber bully.
A problem shared
Try to encourage your child to talk with you about any problems they may have with online harassment. Encourage them to confide in you or another trusted adult, such as a teacher, if they are being cyber-bullied – doing nothing can often make the situation worse for longer.
Teach your child how to block the email addresses and ensure that they save any messages that are mean or intimidating.
They can also report cyber bullies on most social media platforms at the click of a button.
It’s no different to traditional bullying
Remind your child that cyber bullying is just like regular bullying. They are doing it to get a reaction out of their victims and are cowardly. If you can convince your child to ignore the bully’s emails and comments, chances are the bully will get bored and give up. Point out to your child that real online friends won’t believe the lies that the cyber-bully may be spreading.
Go to the authorities
Finally, if the person bullying your child online goes to his or her school, for your child’s safety, you may need to seek the advice of a teacher aand/or the police. Online activity like this can lead to a diminished self esteem, cause learning problems and prolonged exposure to abuse so sometimes acting quickly and to the highest authority may be what’s required to keep your child safe and happy.
