So I know this comes from a short notice, and since school is over there is nothing much to do before the wheels turn on the days to come. But a recent issue has come across me and a majority of pre-teens and teens. Cyber Bullying. What's better than to spend some days on the computer over break? But problems may arise, how do you stop it? Do you keep going? I am no expert but I can give you advice from experience, and data. Students are using Instant Messaging, e-mails, chat rooms, facebook, myspace and websites to make peers feel unwanted and hurt. By affecting them emotionally and targeting weaknesses in the victim. This sure may not be physical warning, but this destroys the mental aspect of the person. The human brain is complex, from hold up to 5 times more the the encyclopedia britannica in each cell. But think of being consecutively bullied and having that thought in your head. The information we keep can determine how we feel, what we like, what we avoid. Living in fear because of threats is horrifying and needs to be stopped. The data shown here by i-safe INC states :
•
• 42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have had it happen more than once.
• 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 have had it happen more than once.
• 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages.
• 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out of 10 say it has happened more than once.
• 53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online. More than 1 in 3 have done it more than once.
• 58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online.
What is the biggest shock is the worst possible things written on this list are the ones with the highest percentage. Victims feel that telling will make them a snitch, and a wimp, but protecting yourself is much more important than the awful names at the stick. But the bully has been able to convert the simple words of everyday in t a powerful, painful script into the mind.
Words bully's use are simply just words to us sometimes. Sometimes they can be vulgar and towards some ones sexuality, but still they are just words. The bully can change the meaning to something more harmful. Like "your gay", but instead of face to face, out loud and in front of peers. The laughs of humility from other students are just as bad as the words and the bully himself. If you think about it, the way cyber bullying works is by control of the other peer. It's all mental control. For example, if you have a dog who can't behave right you take it back to base 1 and treat it like a puppy. You make sure it pee's in it's area and you make sure it isn't house broken. But you realize YOU are in charge of the dog, not the dog in charge of you. Same with the bully. He is the bad dog. You train him step by step. Now I'm not saying grab your bullies and get them all leashes and take them on walks. That might end quite badly. Try to let them not over take your mind. Remember this is MENTAL attack, in your head. Words are nothing till they are not nothing but something. To victims and bully's these words mean something. But to victims, low self esteem, hurt and pain, helpful words cannot stop them. Some even consider suicide. Let me remind you all, suicide is a form of crime. Why on earth would someone do that? And if your obnoxiously thinking "what a wimp", I ask YOU to wear there shoes and be the victim for a day.
The internet has become a weapon, not a resources. Well depends on how you use it. Obviously in this era of the 2000's internet has become the social killer. More statics say that "Bullying is increasingly viewed as an important contributor to youth violence, including homicide and suicide." (NICHD).
Bullying is one of the 4 reasons why teens kill themselves. And if 8% of those kids don't come to school, the bully only gets more power.
So now the question is how do we prevent the bully from harming the students, but for the students to come to school and to face the words and block from unwanted messages.
Unfortunately phones are the most common medium used in cyber bullying. Frankly, recalling that phones are on of the hardest(in my experience) to block from messages. One your number has been telephoned from ear to ear, the calls and messages and voice mails are periodic. The famous *67 is the link way into not being caught. But modern technology makes the modern criminal obsolete. By a bully dialing *67 you have been the stronger ratio of the fight. He/she needs to hide themselves, but their in fear of you telling! Use the weakness of the bully against them! What can we really do to stop bullies contact with victims? Victims first need to tell an adult. As childish as it sounds, unless you want to be the 8% of the teens that commit suicide each year this could be your way out. This actually might be the last step for most people. But if it gets worse, victims can change settings on facebook, myspace and all of the savvy suicide controls the media has to offer. Know that what you post on the internet stays forever, so be able to take screen shots and print what they write and hold documents. By reporting websites harassing you and imitating to be you, the cyber police and local law enforcement can help take those hurtful sites down. Also, take things like numbers, addresses and things that bullies can use against you down. This may decrease the chance of an in person attack. What a parent can do is talk to the child about how they feel. Watch for mood changes and agitation maybe even loneliness. Make sure the computer is within sight of an adult. And manage the account of the cellphone. By tracing data you can open some files of messages students send, which can help not only the parent but the life of the child as well. One last thing like I kept reenforcing, this is a mental battle. There is more than one field and more than one soldier. Keep your head up, use no weapons and block all violent words. You are the better person for telling and you won't regret asking for help. Help save your life and the life of other. One step at a time.
Websites for bullying and additional information:
http://www.stopbullying.gov/
http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/
http://www.StompOutBullying.org/
0 comments:
Post a Comment