Cyberbullying and bullying at school

Bullying is an ongoing pattern of harassment and abuse, and something we need to take very seriously when it comes to our children. While back in our day it was restricted to the playground, the World Wide Web has expanded the number of places in which our children (and even us as adults) can be affected by bullying, creating cyberbullying.

Bullying can have many different forms, be it in person as a physical or verbal attack, the spreading of rumours about a particular person, online through social media, or even in the form of exclusion. While many of us think social media has become an excellent channel of communication, the abuse that it can expose is one we really need to be careful of.

The phenomenon of cyberbullying

According to the Office of eSafety Commissioner, cyberbullying is ‘the use of technology to bully a person or group with the intent to hurt them socially, psychologically or even physically.’ This definition is important so we as parents, know what we are looking for.

Cyberbullying can come in many different ways including: nasty online gossip, humiliation of others online, imitation of others online, hurtful messages, texts or videos posted, and the more obvious being abusive texts or emails.

With the phenomenon of cyberbullying, most schools will have policies in place to address this issue, and students should be open to talking to their teachers about anything that occurs. A system should be in place to help provide support to your children and friends if there is a case of cyberbullying, so you may want to enquire what your school's policy is. And if they don’t have a policy, they certainly need to attain one ASAP.

Cyberbullying is not something we should underestimate in any way. As it’s something we never had to experience ourselves, it can be hard to understand. But it’s a vital part of adolescence that we need to be aware of. Cyberbullying can actually be a more serious problem than direct in-person bullying because the online bullies, aren’t directly seen. This also means the hurt and pain they cause can’t be seen through tears or harm, the way physical harm can be visually translated.

The bullies of the cyber world, can very easily let themselves off the hook, telling themselves they are simply joking, because it’s simply words on a page or it doesn’t seem to feel ‘real.’ The minority groups such as LGBTQI are particularly vulnerable or at risk to this type of bullying.

How to tackle cyberbullying

So, what can we do as parents, if our child is being cyberbullied?

• Be open with your child and let them know you support them.
• Work together as a family to ensure everyone understands exactly what cyberbullying is.
• Know what the school regulations are in regards to cyberbullying.
• If your children’s school has no policy surrounding this issue, demand they create one in place for protection.
• Learn tips about social media. How you can block someone, how you can reduce your child’s exposure online.

This growing phenomenon is one we need to be aware of. Online bullying can be tackled through a growing awareness and education amongst parents, counsellors, school staff and students.

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