A Cyberbully Is Just An Uglier Monster Harder To See
By
Year13
Cyberbullying: the use of electronic communications to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. It’s a hard-knock life for kids. Annie wasn’t messing around when she sang her sweet tune 30-some years ago, and though the times have a-changed, the issues seem to stay the same.
IPhone screens light up morning commutes. Texting occurs under desks and between classes. Being unplugged from technology sometimes means parents have to step in to monitor usage. But, the growing pains of trying to protect kids from bullies is becoming just as difficult as trying to stop them from scraping their knee on the playground: let’s be reasonable, it’s not going to happen.
“Bullying can happen to anyone. It might happen to you, your friend or someone online. People being bullied often feel powerless and alone, or worried about what the bully might do next.” Beyondblue.com.au
In it’s report for 2013-2014, The Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian cited, “suicide was the second leading external cause of death for 10-14 year olds for the first time.”
“….for the first time.”
Between 1990-2014, the trend toward a more digital world has expanded the global phenomena into what it is today. But why, “for the first time,” are 10-14 year olds in Queensland finding their futures more grim than ever before?
The upswing in available technology doesn’t change human nature: your parents were probably bullied in school, you’ve probably known your fair share, heck even your grandparents could give you a time or two.
The difference between then and now?
The reach of a bully was only as far as their arm or word of mouth then and there, but today the bullying spills over into our cyber world. It’s called cyber-bullying and it’s hurting more Aussies than we’d care to admit.
Messages of love and support tend to be overshadowed when a child finds his or herself backed into a corner at school only for that shadow to follow them home. This isn’t Peter Pan; that shadow is a dark cloud hanging over their heads.
Cyber-bullying can be harder to trace; it can be a sentence, a phrase, or even a hashtag. Not everyone is built the same way and meant to act the same way. Even celebrities are coming out on top of body-shaming, cyber-bullying, and various forms of negativity to instigate positive mental awareness and celebrations of individuality.
Being a leader means fighting for the ‘little guy’ and saying something when someone else loses their voice. Statistically speaking, cyber-bullying is just as harmful as picking on someone in person. It surrounds another person with only negative thoughts and never makes the one doing the bullying any better.
Stand up for yourself and say something if you feel you’re being bullied, but also if you feel someone else is. If you feel you don’t know how or need help, never be afraid to ask. In Australia, there are an amazing number of people and places more than willing to listen and help, all you need is ask.
These are the first resources you should reach out to if you or someone you know is being bullied:
