Cyber Bullying

The digital age has ushered in a new era of instant communication on a global scale, the way in which we store data and retrieve it, and the way in which we share information that can be readily made available to an individual, group or corporation to access. Overall, it has made the world in which we live in a smaller place by allowing global communication and aiding international commerce. But by the same token, it has opened up a Pandora’s Box of Cyber Crime, Internet Fraud and Cyber Bullying, which I will be covering in this post.

What is Cyber Bullying?

Cyber Bullying in its simplest form can takes place between two or more people through email, instant messaging, phone texting, or on the Internet. But to be the fully satisfying to the genuine bully, there has to be an audience; thus, elevates the bullying to social media, Facebook, Twitter, or other comment based forums. In this way the humiliation is public and shaming. The bully can ultimately perform their sadistic best or worst before like-minded aggressors.

Cyber Bullying and harassment is an abuse of your human rights. It is a serious problem with serious mental and physical impacts. Bullying can often affect you at home, school, work, in your social life and in your ability to feel happy, health and secure.

It is up to governments, schools, workplaces and individuals (including you) to make sure that every human right is respected.

How does Cyber Bullying affect an individual?

Cyber Bullying can affect an individual in many different ways. Below is a list of feelings you maybe having if you are being bullied:

Feeling guilty like its your fault
Feeling hopeless and stuck like you can’t get out of the situation
Feeling alone, like there is no one to help you
Feeling like you don’t fit in with the cool group
Feeling depressed and rejected by your friends and other groups of people
Feeling unsafe and afraid
Feeling confused and stressed out wondering what to do and why is this happening to you
Feeling ashamed that this is happening to you

Tips and Strategies on how to deal with Cyber Bullying

Below are some useful tips and strategies to implement if Cyber Bullying has affected you: –

Make sure that you don’t respond to messages when you are angry or hurt to either strangers or people that you know. Often this will encourage them to continue or increase their harassment towards you.
Keep a record of calls, messages, posts and emails that maybe hurtful or harmful to you.
Do not share private information like passwords, name and address, phone number with people you don’t know. This also includes sharing photos of yourself, friends and your family.
Remember to set up the privacy options on your social networking sites like Facebook, in a way you are comfortable with. Also make sure that you find out how to report bullying and harassment on each of the different social networks that you use.
Always remember that you have the option to block, delete and report anyone who is harassing you online and on you phone.

Getting Help

If you feel that the bullying has crossed the line from harassment to criminal intent, then the cyber bully has committed a crime and it should be investigated by the proper authorities such as: –

Communications and Media Authority that specializes in Cyber Crime
Law Enforcement
The Human Rights Commission in you area that specialize in investigating complaints of discrimination, harassment and bullying.

Amanda Ogden is from Sydney Australia, and has spent the past 13 years working within the welfare industry in both administration and case management assisting people with mental health issues, mild intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injuries, drug & alcohol, homelessness gain employment. She also loves traveling, creating jewellery, music, friends and family.