MHAEBELENE NARVASA

ABM 11-G

SPEECH ABOUT CYBERBULLYING

“Courage is fire and bullying is smoke” this quotation from the famous author
Benjamin Disraeli supports that bullying is signifying someone’s weakness. To bully
another person only proves that there is something wrong with that bully’s
personality; to bully does not reflect the bullied but instead to the person who does
the bullying.
In a fast-paced society, bullying is very rampant, especially in this digital world
where information can be easily spread and can be manipulated. Social media
platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are the most
common avenue for online bullying. Technology has much to contribute to our
present lifestyle of ours. The adaptive practices of keeping ourselves connected with
social media have their own charm. We as an individual feel much closer and
connected to our far as well as near friends through these social media. Sometimes
the list of our acquaintances on social media stretches to even those who have
never been introduced to us in the practical world. This zest of having virtual friends
has its own pros. We feel more comfortable and free with a person who has not any
prejudgment for us. This makes us vulnerable to rely more on them in sharing our
deepest secrets sometimes. These are just some of the comfort that technology can
give us. On the other side of this coin, there are many unfortunate things that may
happen in this comfort; and that is cyberbullying.
One in three young people in 30 countries said they have been a victim of
online bullying, with one in five saying they skipped school due to cyberbullying and
violence – this is according to a new poll released by UNICEF, the United Nations
organization working for children’s rights. In the Philippines, the latest national data
show that cyber violence affects almost half of children aged 13-17 1. The prevalence
of cyberviolence for males (44 per cent) is almost the same for females (43 per cent)
– reported by UNICEF Philippines. (source: UNICEF)
Who is responsible for all of these? The U-Report further revealed that 32 per
cent believe that the government is mainly responsible for addressing online bullying,
31 per cent said that young people are responsible, while 29 per cent said internet
companies. These show that opinions are equally divided on who should be
responsible for ending online bullying – highlighting the need to involve children and
young people in the shared responsibility. (source: UNICEF)
What are the steps to strengthen the campaign against cyberbullying? The
UNICEF is calling for urgent action to implement policies that will protect children
and young people from bullying – both online and offline. Addressing the problem
requires action from all of us. Establishing and equipping national helplines to
support children and young people in reporting violence is a concrete step. Training
teachers and parents to respond to and prevent bullying will ensure the safety of
children and young people, particularly the most vulnerable ones. UNICEF is also
urging social media and social networking service companies to improve ethical
standards and practices in collecting and managing information about
children. (source: UNICEF)

How do we respond to cyberbullying? Here are some tips.

1. Don’t respond to any such initiation. Ignorance is bliss in such cases.
2. Don’t retaliate to any advances. It will ultimately bring the impression
that you are not bothered by such things.
3. Save the evidence to report them further if it doesn’t end.
4. Talk to your trusted adult and take his advice for the same.
5. Block the bully to avoid any such interactions.
6. Be a friend not a bystander for someone who needs your support to
stop this bullying.

Cyberbullying is dangerous; it may lead to some unfortunate psychological

consequences for the victim. Children or teens who were bullied have higher suicide
rates (Nixon, 2014). Therefore, it is crucial that young people are protected from the
dangers of online bullying at all costs. This can be done through special training and
programs administered in schools where students learn to protect their information
and to be active bystanders. Since this issue mostly affects young people, it is
crucial that adults become actively engaged, helping students fight off online bullies.
This way, a traumatic situation can be turned into a resourceful one. When young
people learn that they can be stronger than the circumstances and feel supported by
the other students and adults, they will feel motivated and inspired. What is more, we
should remember that the bully also needs help and support, since he or she would
not have become a bully if it were not for some deep inner psychological conflicts.
To sum this up, awareness is the key to preventing online harassment. We
should make the children aware from an early age so they are always cautious.
Moreover, parents must monitor their children’s online activities and limit their usage.
Most importantly, cyberbullying must be reported instantly without delay. This can
prevent further incidents from taking place.
references: UNICEF.org, Toppr.com, and The videoink.com