In today's world, social networking is a major part of people's daily lives. While there are many advantages to using websites such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Myspace like finding old friends or for promotion, they also have their disadvantages as well. One topic in particular--cyberbullying--has become more than a mere disadvantage.
Children in middle school and high school are at the highest risk of being "cyberbullied." Statistics show that 20% of students have admitted to being bullied online, with girls being more likely to experience it than boys. There have been a few widely publicized tragedies stemming from cyberbullying via Myspace. You may be familiar with the 2008 story involving a group of high school cheerleaders who posted negative comments about a girl on Myspace, then lured her to a house where she was beaten into unconsciousness. Following the attack, they posted the video on YouTube for everyone to see. The effects of these online attacks can be long-term physically, mentally and emotionally not only for the victim, but for their family and friends as well.
Another story you may be familiar with is the suicide of 13 year-old Megan Meier which was a result of being harassed online by a supposed 16 year old boy. In the end, the 16 year old boy actually turned out to be the mother of Megan's friend next door. This just goes to show that cyberbullies are not limited to children and young adults. They can be just about anyone.
So, how can we prevent and respond to cyberbullying? Being aware of it is key. Listen and always take it seriously. Be aware of your child's emotional state. If you notice any dramatic changes, talk to them. Be involved with their teachers. Know how they are doing in school socially, not just academically. Parents must do all they can to provide their children with the tools and knowledge to be safe on and offline. Should any online harassment occur, take the necessary steps to resolve it. It is imperative to step in. Whether it be getting both parties together to discuss the issue and resolve it face to face, or by getting parents and school faculty involved. Never stand idly by if your child makes a harassment claim. You never know. You might just save a life.
When I had my first child or even my third for that matter, all the "motherly fears" came to mind but cyberbullying wasn't one of them. It wasn't until my youngest cousin became a victim of it that I even knew it existed. It got so bad with her that she tried to commit suicide and, like Megan Meier, it was the mother of her boyfriend that was doing it. I've always watched what my children were doing online but after the situation with my cousin I looked a little harder just to find that my youngest daughter was becoming a victim of cyberbullying. Thank God we resolved the issue quickly but not before it had a profound impact on her. It's bad enough that us parents have to worry about things happening to our children when they're away from home, now, because of the digital age, we have to worry about the MULTIPLE things that can happen to them while they're AT home.
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