Why is cyber bullying important

Only around 1 in 10 young people inform a parent or trusted adult of cyberbullying. Some reasons for this low number include embarrassment, fear of not being believed, fear of having the issue trivialised, or losing access to technology. Taking proactive steps to educate your child about what they can do about cyberbullying can be a good way to ensure they approach you for support when they need it.

A good place to get information is the Keep it Tame website. It gives a great overview about cyberbullying. The effects of cyberbullying are similar to the effects of bullying, but the main difference is that it's much harder to avoid, because it can follow your teen home from school and make them feel like they'll never be able to escape it.

Make sure your child knows it's not their fault, they're not alone, and that there are ways to deal with cyberbullying. If you've noticed some warning signs in your teenager's behavior, you might be worried that they're thinking about suicide.

Read more about how talk to your teen about suicide here. There is no perfect strategy on how to solve cyberbullying, although, if you know your child is being cyberbullied, the first thing to do is to be supportive and empathetic.

Avoid the temptation to stop your child going online at all; this will more likely result in them not telling you if it occurs again. Ways to offer emotional support to your child include:. If you require more information on how to address cyberbullying situations and for general cyberbullying safety tips, read the fact sheet Escalating Cyberbullying. If your child is being bullied online, one of the most important things is to reassure them that there are people who can help.

Cyberbullying can be a crime. This connection can be long-lasting; people who are bullied as children are more likely to suffer from depression as an adult than children who were not involved in bullying.

Cyberbullying can be prevented and reported. Parents, teachers and caregivers need to be aware of what their children or teens are doing online and take these steps to prevent and report the crime:. Sovereign Health Rancho San Diego specializes in treating adolescents struggling with mental health disorders , behavioral compulsions, substance abuse , or a combination of these issues in its dual diagnosis treatment program.

For more information, call its hour helpline at Home Why cyberbullying is an important issue. Reach Out To Us Today! Most Private Insurance Accepted. Who are you helping? Tell the person to stop. You may need to practice beforehand with someone you trust, like a parent or good friend. You deserve backup. Use available tech tools. Most social media apps and services allow you to block the person. You can also report the problem to the service.

Protect your accounts. If someone you know is being bullied, take action. Just standing by can empower an aggressor and does nothing to help. The best thing you can do is try to stop the bullying by taking a stand against it. Consider together whether you should report the bullying. At the very least, help by not passing along a mean message and not giving positive attention to the person doing the bullying. The first thing to do is get them to stop the bullying but try not to overreact.

Talk with your child, get all the facts and consider probing further in their devices and accounts. Look for underlying issues and problems that might be affecting your child. If your child is being disciplined by school or law enforcement, make sure he or she is being treated fairly and appropriately.

There are some in positions of authority who tend to be punitive rather than corrective. Feel free to ask if it has anything to do with mean behavior or social issues. Work with your child. Bullying and cyberbullying usually involve a loss of dignity or control over a social situation, and involving your child in finding solutions helps him or her regain that.

The second reason is about context. Because the bullying is almost always related to school life and our kids understand the situation and context better than parents ever can, their perspective is key to getting to the bottom of the situation and working out a solution. You may need to have private conversations with others, but let your child know if you do, and report back.

Respond thoughtfully, not fast. A lot of cyberbullying involves somebody getting marginalized put down and excluded , which the bully thinks increases his or her power or status. More than one perspective needed. Sometimes kids let themselves get pulled into chain reactions, and often what we see online is only one side of or part of the story.

What victims say helps most is to be heard — really listened to — either by a friend or an adult who cares. Just by being heard respectfully, a child is often well on the way to healing. Solutions are more important than punishment. Remember, that children who bully are still children.