A Parent's Guide to preventing cyberbullying - Part 2

In part 1 we looked at why children cyberbully and who is affected by cyberbullying. In this article we will look at how cyberbullies attack and we identify the signs that someone is a bully or is being bullied.

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How Cyberbullies Attack.

According to Bullying Statistics, an anti-bullying campaign, more than 1 in 3 teens have received cyber-threats online while 25% of teens have claimed falling victim to repeated bullying with the use of technology.

Cyberbullies attack via instant messenger, text message, emails, chat rooms, social media- any means to which technological communication is given. Some cyberbullying may even include hacking into the victim’s account to spew hateful messages, directly or subtly.

Other subtly aggressive tactics that a cyberbully uses are microaggressions, which can be categorized as microassaults, verbal or nonverbal direct assaults applied to a victim, while microinsults, passive-aggressive insults, are typically used to demean the victim. Microinvalidation is another form of understated hostility, in which someone’s thoughts and feelings are rendered unimportant or insignificant.

It’s important to be able to pinpoint this type of aggressive behavior so that you can stop it before it goes any further.

Photo by Youssef Sarhan on Unsplash

Signs Someone is a Bully or is Being Bullied.

Non-verbal signs of a cyberbullying can range from an increased aggression in someone’s personality to hiding a device when a parent enters the room. The victim, however, may fear using the computer, display signs of depression or even begin to show signs of anxiety.

A victim may also be too scared to ask for help or fears telling an adult. It’s important to listen to your child without judgment or reacting too quickly. You may need to probe deeper or obtain info from a third party to understand what is happening. Speak with your child about the dangers of cyberbullying and what effects it can have on the victims.

Furthermore, if you are the parent of the cyberbully, work with the victim’s parents in solving what may be bothering your child to push him to bully. It’s also imperative that you talk to your child directly about the dangers of cyberbullying and the consequences that it can have.

If you suspect someone is being bullied online, talk to them and seek out effective ways to help them cope. Cyberbullying is a serious offense that can have major repercussions. Keep these tips handy to stop a cyberbully in their tracks and to help create a friendlier environment on the internet.

If you are in Ireland and need help, please don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for it. There are special cyberbullying programs that can support you or a victim of cyberbullying to stand up against this problem.

This content was written by Alexis Hall. If you want get more information about it, please access singleparent.

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash