CyberBullying awareness and prevention

​Cyber bullying is bullying, no doubt about it. In fact, it can feel even scarier because the victim is isolated at home when reading it...and they often feel they have no one to go to for support.  We believe this page does a great job defining the forms of on-line bullying and can be useful for teens, parents and educators alike! If you or someone you know is a victim of cyber bullying, please feel free to contact us for support.  With Care Connect, we can get you an appointment with a licensed therapist within 48 hrs.
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​Tips for parents on cyberbullying management and prevention
How to tell if your child or loved one is a cyberbullying victim

There’s a chance your child, friend or loved one is the victim of cyberbullying but too embarrassed to admit it. Here are some signs:

• They avoid social situations or groups of friends that they once enjoyed, preferring to spend more time alone.
• They act out, displaying angry or upsetting behavior in a manner unusual to them.
• They suddenly spend less time on social media platforms that they once frequented.
• New, unknown numbers or texts suddenly appear on their phone.

Comforting your child after an incident of cyberbullying

• Approach the situation gently, allowing them to explain the situation to you at their own speed free of interrogation.
• Let them know that online cruelty does not reflect their value as a person.
• Inform them that the cyberbullying may not be personal, and that the bully may not understand the harm they are causing since it is being done from behind a screen.
• Advise them that retaliation or responding to the bullying can only make the situation worse.
• Tell them it’s not the end of the world, what seems like a crisis now will inevitably pass.
• Counseling - If the damage done by cyberbullying is severe, and the victim feels ostracized from their peers or afraid to go to school, he or she may benefit from professional counseling. Professional counselors, at school and otherwise, are trained to deal with cyberbullying and use specific techniques to manage the situation and help victims overcome their pain and self-esteem issues.
  

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Tips on preventing cyberbullying from happening to your child

• Educate your child on how to properly conduct his or herself on social media, i.e., don’t pose revealing photos or overly personal information.
• Friend, or follow, your child on the social networking sites he or she uses. This way you can monitor their activity from afar.
• Tell your child not to friend strangers, and to allow only trusted friends and family members to view their posts.
• Don’t openly engage with your child publicly on social media, as this may encourage taunting and bullying. Don’t post potentially embarrassing photos or content, either.
• Keep your computers and devices in the common areas of the home. Discourage them from using social media in private areas.
• Report instances of cyberbullying to social networking sites where they take place (links located below).
• If cyberbullying is a repeat issue, restrict their usage, or bar them from social media, altogether.

Cyberbullying laws and in school policy
Often a child will not be able to deal with an instance of cyberbullying alone, and the situation may require intervention by the school in order to put a stop to the behavior.

You may believe that confronting the parents of the bully is a good solution, but they might react unpredictably, denying the charge, or becoming aggressive. Research finds that the bullies are often physically and verbally abused by their parents, and they may not be the best individuals to confront about a cyberbullying situation.

Approaching the school in order to deal with an incident of cyberbullying is the best choice. Even before going to the police, this is the best course of action, as the school will have the contacts of every student, as well as a law enforcement liaison on campus at all times who will best know how to proceed with the situation. If bringing in the cops is necessary, then they will likely do so.
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To prepare:

• Take screenshots of the cyberbullying activity for evidence to support your case. If the bully uses their Facebook or Instagram account to bully your child, rather than an anonymous account, the evidence will be undeniable.
• Gather any texts, emails or other messages from the bully.
• Once evidence of the incident is gathered, make a call to the principal’s office to set up an appointment to discuss the situation

​Schools are mandated by state law in every state, to have an official anti-bullying policy, with Montana being the last to do so in 2015. Many states have laws that require schools to deal with off-campus behavior as well. Even if cyberbullying incidents take place off school grounds and after the last bell, they may still be forced to take action. Schools are required to keep classrooms a safe place conducive to learning, and off-campus cyberbullying can negatively impact this environment.

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Interested in learning more about Cyberbullying? You can read more on Alarm.org. ​If you or someone you know is a victim of cyber bullying, please feel free to contact us for support.  With Care Connect, we can get you an appointment with a licensed therapist within 48 hrs.