Awareness Raising about Cyber-Bullying

The advancement of communication technology is expanding the methods by which bullies

can torture their victims. Cyberbullying is becoming a massive issue, and since technology
isn't going anywhere, we must all do our part to figure out what can be done to stop
cyberbullies in their tracks. Cyberbullying has been around for a long time and can be used in
a variety of ways. I've never had anybody cyberbully me, but I've had friends who have, and I
can tell you it was a very difficult time for them, which I don't wish on anyone. Cyber-bullies
will continue to be a threat to today's youth until we take preventative measures against them.
By understanding how a cyber-bully works we will be able to better protect youth
populations as technology grows.
Cyberbullying is described as any form of harassment, threatening, or demeaning language. It
may also include publicly humiliating another person on the internet. Typically, this is
accomplished by insulting comments, online rumours, and even sexual remarks. They are
commonly associated with physical appearance, intelligence, race, or sexual orientation.
Essentially, cyberbullying is described as something that is posted online with the intent of
hurting or upsetting another person, regardless of the subject. There isn’t a single platform
where all of the cyberbullying takes place, and no online space is completely free of
cyberbullying. Since most children and young adults access the internet via their mobile
devices, this is the most common medium through which they experience this type of
harassment. A recent survey from cyberbullying statistics shows that Instagram is the most
commonly used site for cyberbullying, closely followed by Facebook and Snapchat. Many
people are cyberbullied when playing online multiplayer games. Though YouTube is one of
the most popular online sites, only one-tenth of users have reported experiencing
cyberbullying there. According to “2019 Cyberbullying Data”, about 37% of young people
between the ages of 12 and 17 have been bullied online and 30% have had it happen more
than once. Girls are more likely than boys to be both victims and perpetrators of
cyberbullying.15% of teen girls have been the target of at least four different kinds of abusive
online behaviours, compared with 6% of boys and about half of LGBTQ+ students
experience online harassments – a rate higher than average. Bullying in general has a
negative effect on a victim's mental health and overall quality of life, and cyberbullying is no
exception. In reality, some studies indicate that bullies are more violent online because there
are rarely any major consequences for their acts, so the effect on victims could be even
greater. Victims of cyberbullying often have low self-esteem, increased social anxiety,
depression, and suicidal thoughts. Although most people are aware of the facts about bullying
and cyberbullying, few know how to deal with it. Many who witness it rarely respond, mostly
because they are afraid of the consequences of getting involved. Most parents are unaware
that their child is being cyberbullied and most children think it is a natural phenomenon and
do not want to inform their parents. But people and the government are becoming
increasingly aware of this issue. People are reducing the personal information shared online
and the government implemented the anti-bullying laws that are definitely helped raise
awareness.
In conclusion, as the Internet and social networking technologies grow in popularity,
cyberbullying is becoming more widespread and serious. The details provided in this research
paper can help people understand what a cyber-bully is, how dangerous they can be, and how
to avoid cyber-bullying. And it is important to educate children about cyberbullying, its
consequences, and how it can be avoided.
 REFERENCES
1. Cyberbullying: Research Paper (2010). Retrieved from
https://caseyneville.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/cyberbullying-research-paper/
2. Marcum, Catherine D. et al. “Battle of the Sexes: An Examination of Male and
Female Cyberbullying.” International Journal of Cyber Criminology
http://www.cybercrimejournal.com/marcumetal2012janijcc.pdf .
3. Anderson, Monica. “A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of
Cyberbullying.” Pew Research Center. Accessed July 30, 2019.
https://www.pewinternet.org/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-
form-of-cyberbullying/
4. “2015 National School Climate Survey.” GLSEN. Accessed July 30,
2019. /https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/2015%20National%20GLSEN
%202015%20National%20School%20Climate%20Survey%20%28NSCS%29%20-%20Full
%20Report_0.pdf
5. Cyberbullying Statistics: What They Tell Us (2017).
https://www.ditchthelabel.org/cyber-bullying-statistics-what-they-tell-us/