Is there help?
What
can a cyber-Bullied
student do?
If
a student is being cyber-bullied they should tell an
adult they trust, whether it be their parent, guardian, or teacher. They should also not give
out their email or
cell phone number to people that they do not trust.
If they do receive threatening or harassing
emails
or messages, they should not respond, but rather:
- Block their cell phone or computer from
receiving any
other messages from the sender;
- Save the messages for documentation;
- Forward the messages to their internet or cell
phone
service providers, as some providers have policies that deal with
hostile
messages;
- If the bullying persists, they should change
their cell
phone number and email information;
- If they are physically threatened, they should
notify the
police.(38)
What
can peers do?
If
peers know of someone being cyber-bullied they should be
assertive and support the person being bullied.
This could mean telling the bully or bullies
that they should stop, or
telling an appropriate authority, like a teacher or another trusted
adult.(39)
What
can parents do?
Parents
should educate themselves about the technology their
children are using. They
should also be
aware of what their children are doing online.
They can ask their child questions about such
things as what sites they
visit and what chat rooms they enter, and encourage them to openly
discuss what
they see or do there. They
should also encourage
their children to tell them if they are being cyber-bullied. Let them know that it is
safe to tell them
and that they will not be angry.
Parents
should also take preventative measures to stop their
child from becoming a cyber-bully.
They
should teach their kids about responsible cyber-behavior, so that they
are
informed and can make knowledgeable choices about whether to get
involved in
bullying. Parents
should also clearly
outline household rules of cell phone and internet use, and make it
clear that
sending harassing or cruel messages is not okay and will be punished.
If
their child is being cyber-bullied by peers at school,
parents should report the harassment to the school administrators and
seek resolution. If
the messages are violently threatening, parents
should inform the police. They
can also
report any harassing messages to their internet service or cell phone
provider.(40)
What
can schools and
teachers do?
Education
is a powerful tool. If
children can be introduced to civil-minded
behaviors at an early stage, it can help them make better-informed
decisions
regarding cyber-bullying in the future.(41)
Schools can establish anti-bullying programs
within the curriculum. They
can also establish clearly laid out policies
and guidelines that deal specifically with the proper use of technology
and
issues related to cyber-bullying.(42)
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