Cyberbullying 1 | 2018 #16DaysOfActivism

CYBERBULLYING FACTS

  • 1 in 3 children aged 9 – 13 have been or are currently either being cyberbullied or are the cyberbully
  • All children will at one point in their schooling career witness an act of bullying
  • Bullying leads to low self-esteem
  • Bullying leads to 15% increase in absenteeism
  • Bullying leads to depression
  • Bullying is not the direct cause of suicide but has a direct link to depression and anxiety which is a cause of suicide
  • Cyberbullying adds a new dimension to the above – children can no longer escape the bully, they cannot go home and forget about the abuse because cyber follows them – they cannot switch off

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COMMON FORMS OF CYBER-BULLYING (BEYONDTHEBULLY.COM)

  1. Flaming and Trolling – sending or posting hostile messages intended to “inflame” the emotions of others
  2. Happy-Slapping – recording someone being harassed or bullied in a way that usually involves physical abuse, then posting the video online for public viewing
  3. Identity Theft/Impersonation – stealing someone’s password and/or hijacking their online accounts to send or post incriminating or humiliating pictures, videos, or information
  4. Photoshopping – doctoring digital images so that the main subject is placed in a compromising or embarrassing situation
  5. Physical Threats – sending messages that involve threats to a person’s physical safety
  6. Rumour Spreading – spreading gossip through e-mail, text messaging, or social networking sites.

EXAMPLES OF CYBERBULLYING

  • Shared on Text Message: “I HATE YOU!! JUST DIE!! LOSER! YOU STINK! YOU ARE STUPID! YOU ARE UGLY!!! EVEN YOUR MOTHER HATES YOU!!”
  • Shared on Social Media: “@Sam is a disgusting pig, I cant stand the way she walks!” (Friends then like, comment and share)
  • Shared on Whatsapp Groups: “Look at @Sam in this picture, I just took it during Physical Education and she is so disgusting!!! Share all around!”
  • Shared via email to Group List: “OMG! @Sam wants to try and get invited to my party this weekend, she is so stupid! Let’s ignore her during break tomorrow” (copies Sam in knowing she will read)
  • Boys add girls to SLUT LISTS and then shame them online
  • Shared on Social Media: A MEME is created with Sam’s picture

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Some advise from Phambano: safety-on-social-media