Cyber Bullying

Cyber bullying begins with youth and the lack of knowledge of how words can effect and harm another person’s life and wellbeing. Online bullying has grown in numbers over the years and has become a serious problem. Who is affected by cyber bullying?  We all are affected by the words of others, as this can ruin the reputation of someone that you know or a friend of friend.

What is cyber bullying?

Cyber bullying is a term used when describing a person who harasses, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, or embarrasses another person, either directly or indirectly through an electronic device such as the internet, or mobile phone.

Who is a cyber-bully?

Your first reaction would be “I have never been a cyber-bully”, and that is because the public doesn’t understand what it truly means to be a cyber-bully.  We all at one point and time have been a “cyber-bully”, by sending a text message, sending an email, or commenting on a Facebook link to one of our friends.  We might not remember the old saying “words can destroy and hurt”, but it’s true.

We are seeing an increase in the number of teenagers committing suicide due to the actions of words and pictures that are sent into the cyber world.

Why does cyber-bullying happen?

Cyber bullying starts when one person decides to humiliate or harass another person by the use of electronic devices. This person may start by saying harmful words and progressively get worse over time, as the attention that this person may get provides them with a growing demand for more attention.

Cyber bullying provides the person with a sense of power as they start to see and hear others around them talking about what they “saw online” about the cyber bully’s target. Many underlying reasons create the person to have feelings of being trapped and unworthy to all around, and that person may find that targeting a certain peer member will release their own pain.  Most teens do not understand or know how to deal with certain life problems, so they lash out to hurt others without realizing what they are doing.

How to deal with cyber bullying

As parents, we have to monitor our children at all times, and teach them that “words” can destroy and hurt another people.  Children start bullying at a very young age, and due to social media sites, we as the adults have to be vigilant and consistent with how our children think, act, perceive the world, and how they feel inside.