There is a new form of harassment and bullying, cyber-bullying, also known as: Cyber-Crime, cyber-
harassment, cyber-bullying, etc… People have found a new way to tarnish reputations and verbally
hurt the innocent youth. With social-networking sites growing ever more popular, in recent society,
there is an almost instant access to youth. Sexual predators, bullies, etc… log onto these social-
networking sites everyday in hopes to find another victim.
If you are in the unfortunate event of being Cyber-Bullied and you are a teen/child, tell a parent or
trusted adult immediately and having a support system there for you and to help you through Cyber-
Bullying is always great!
If you are in the unfortunate event of being Cyber-Bullied and you are an adult, immediately
contact your local police department, F.B.I agency, or the appropriate authorities that may be able to
assist you. Also, having a support system there for you and to help you through Cyber-Bullying is
always great!
Parents, if you have a child/teen that is being Cyber-Bullied, listen to their story and DO NOT shrug
it off or ignore it. Take immediate action by documenting all of the Cyber-Bullying attacks and
immediately contact your local police department, F.B.I agency, or the appropriate authorities that
may be able to assist you. Being there for your child/teen in this time of need is essential to connecting
with your child/teen and keeping your child/teen safe.
What is Cyber-Bullying?
Cyberbullying is similar to other types of bullying, except it takes place online and through text
messages sent to cell phones. Cyberbullies can be classmates, online acquaintances, and even
anonymous users, but most often they do know their victims.
Source: www.ncpc.org
Some examples of ways kids bully online are:
Both boys and girls sometimes bully online and just as in face-to-face bullying, tend to do so in
different ways. Boys more commonly bully by sending messages of a sexual nature or by threatening
to fight or hurt someone. Girls more often bully by spreading rumors, sending messages that make fun
of someone or exclude other. They also tell secret.
Source: www.ncpc.org
Often the most dramatic incidents of cyberbullying get the attention of educators, parents and
the authority. Those incidents that involve threats, particularly death threats and those that
result in school shootings and suicide attempts prompt intervention for both the perpetrators
and victims. We must remember, however, that all cyberbullying, even the less dramatic
incidents including the spreading of rumors and saying mean things online can be harmful as
they can erode a child’s self esteem and confidence and lead to later academic difficulties,
interpersonal problems and psychological distress. The bottom line is that we need to take all
forms of cyberbullying seriously. Following are a few things to keep in mind about the impact
of cyberbullying:
• Less dramatic incidents of cyberbullying can lead to depression, anxiety and academic
difficulties, perhaps because they are often not taken seriously by adults. For example, children who
are the victims of online gossip may reach out to adults only to have their feelings of fear and anxiety
minimized. Adults may brush these incidents off as normal child’s play, instructing their children to
“just ignore it.” Although the damage caused by cyberbullying may be less readily apparent than the
consequences of a fist-fight, it is no less serious.
• Although many parents use blocking software on their computers to protect their children from
sexually explicit material few parents talk to their children about cyberbullying. In fact, many adults
would probably be surprised to learn that their own behavior including the spreading of mean gossip
could be classified as cyberbullying. Children whose parents and teachers aren’t knowledgeable about
cyberbullying or simply don’t consider it a problem may be reluctant to report incidents of
cyberbullying. These children learn to keep quiet; they may be too embarrassed to admit that they
were the victim of cyberbullying or even think they were to blame.
• A past survey of over 1,500 children who use the Internet regularly found that (Ybarra &
Mitchell, 2004) children who both bully others online and are themselves the victims of cyberbullying
are in the greatest need of intervention and services. These youth manifest the highest levels of
depression and behavior problems such a vandalizing property, stealing, and drinking. Interestingly,
these youth are also the least monitored by their parents.
• Cyberbullying is “open” to all children, even those who are not physically capable of bullying
others face-to-face. It is the ability to keep his or her identity unknown that allows even the least
physically intimidating children to assert dominance over others online. Ybarra and Mitchell (2004)
estimate that fewer that 30% of victims know their online aggressors. This anonymity may empower
aggressors to do things they would never do in person, believing they will never get caught and never
knowing the full extent to which their acts have hurt others.
• Cyberbullying may be especially attractive to girls who are traditionally socialized to refrain
from aggressing towards others physically. It is now thought that girls are more likely to bully each
other through “relational methods.” That is, girls hurt each other by spreading gossip and excluding
each other from activities. Using the internet to spread gossip and rumors – typical forms of
cyberbullying – may be a new tool in girls’ repertoire of bullying.
• Many youth who bully others online are the targets of more conventional face-to-face bullying
that involves physical altercations. For these youth, creating Web sites that make fun of others and
sending anonymous hate messages may be a way to feel powerful and get back at those who have
bullied them.
Source: http://www.mindoh.com/docs/BM_Cyberbullying.pdf
Victims of cyberbullying may experience many of the same effects as children who are bullied
in person, such as a drop in grades, low self-esteem, a change in interests, or depression.
However cyberbullying can seem more extreme to its victims because of several factors:
• Occurs in children's home. Being bullied at home can take away the place children feel most safe.
• Can be harsher. Often kids say things online that they wouldn't say in person, mainly because
they can't see the other person's reaction.
• Far reaching. Kids can send emails making fun of someone to their entire class or school with a
few clicks, or post them on a website for the whole world to see.
• Anonymity. Cyberbullies often hide behind screen names and email addresses that don't identify
who they are. Not knowing who is responsible for bullying messages can add to a victim's insecurity.
• May seem inescapable. It may seem easy to get away from a cyberbully-just get offline-but for
some kids not going online takes away one of the major places they socialize.
Source: http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/suicide.html
There are often signs that someone may be thinking about or planning a suicide attempt.
Here are some of them:
• talking about suicide or death in general
• talking about "going away"
• referring to things they "won’t be needing," and giving away possessions
• talking about feeling hopeless or feeling guilty
• pulling away from friends or family and losing the desire to go out
• having no desire to take part in favorite things or activities
• having trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
• experiencing changes in eating or sleeping habits
• engaging in self-destructive behavior (drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or cutting, for example)
When struggling with problems, it helps to:
• Tell someone you trust what’s going on with you.
• Be around people who are caring and positive.
• Ask someone to help you figure out what to do about a problem you’re facing.
• Work with a therapist or counselor if problems are getting you down and depressed — or if you
don't have a strong support network, or feel you can’t cope.
Reviewed by: Matthew K. Nock, PhD
Source: http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/suicide.html
What can parents do?:
Adults must take children seriously when they talk about being bullied. It’s important for kids to
know there are adults in whom they can confide.
• Don’t ignore your child’s concerns, and don’t ask your child to ignore the bullying. Allow your
child to talk about the bullying, and document what is shared. If your child is being bullied in
cyberspace, try to block the offenders and save the evidence.
• Make sure your child understands that the bullying is not his or her fault. Never let your child think
that he/she did something to provoke the bullying. Assure them that they are not alone; other children
have gone through the same thing.
• Teach children to stand up for themselves, but don’t encourage physical retaliation. Bullies are
cowards and pick on kids who can’t or won’t defend themselves.
• Teach your child safety strategies, such as how to seek help from an adult. Oftentimes bullying
doesn’t stop until an adult gets involved. Telling an adult is not tattling.
• Offer your child activities – sports, art lessons, martial arts training, music classes – to help him/her
build self esteem. Try not to let them avoid formal activities in which they’re bullied.
• Encourage and help your child meet new friends. A child who is always alone is an easier target.
• When necessary, seek help from a mental health professional. Some kids who are bullied become so
depressed that they hurt themselves. Help your child understand that there are other ways to solve
the problem.
• Provide a safe, loving environment for your child at home.
Source: http://www.sheknows.com/articles/804345.htm
harassment, cyber-bullying, etc… People have found a new way to tarnish reputations and verbally
hurt the innocent youth. With social-networking sites growing ever more popular, in recent society,
there is an almost instant access to youth. Sexual predators, bullies, etc… log onto these social-
networking sites everyday in hopes to find another victim.
If you are in the unfortunate event of being Cyber-Bullied and you are a teen/child, tell a parent or
trusted adult immediately and having a support system there for you and to help you through Cyber-
Bullying is always great!
If you are in the unfortunate event of being Cyber-Bullied and you are an adult, immediately
contact your local police department, F.B.I agency, or the appropriate authorities that may be able to
assist you. Also, having a support system there for you and to help you through Cyber-Bullying is
always great!
Parents, if you have a child/teen that is being Cyber-Bullied, listen to their story and DO NOT shrug
it off or ignore it. Take immediate action by documenting all of the Cyber-Bullying attacks and
immediately contact your local police department, F.B.I agency, or the appropriate authorities that
may be able to assist you. Being there for your child/teen in this time of need is essential to connecting
with your child/teen and keeping your child/teen safe.
What is Cyber-Bullying?
Cyberbullying is similar to other types of bullying, except it takes place online and through text
messages sent to cell phones. Cyberbullies can be classmates, online acquaintances, and even
anonymous users, but most often they do know their victims.
Source: www.ncpc.org
Some examples of ways kids bully online are:
- Sending someone mean or threatening emails, instant messages, or text messages.
- Excluding someone from an instant messenger buddy list or blocking their email for no reason.
- Tricking someone into revealing personal or embarrassing information and sending it to others.
- Breaking into someone's email or instant message account to send cruel or untrue messages
while posing as that person. - Creating websites to make fun of another person such as a classmate or teacher.
- Using websites to rate peers as prettiest, ugliest, etc.
Both boys and girls sometimes bully online and just as in face-to-face bullying, tend to do so in
different ways. Boys more commonly bully by sending messages of a sexual nature or by threatening
to fight or hurt someone. Girls more often bully by spreading rumors, sending messages that make fun
of someone or exclude other. They also tell secret.
Source: www.ncpc.org
Often the most dramatic incidents of cyberbullying get the attention of educators, parents and
the authority. Those incidents that involve threats, particularly death threats and those that
result in school shootings and suicide attempts prompt intervention for both the perpetrators
and victims. We must remember, however, that all cyberbullying, even the less dramatic
incidents including the spreading of rumors and saying mean things online can be harmful as
they can erode a child’s self esteem and confidence and lead to later academic difficulties,
interpersonal problems and psychological distress. The bottom line is that we need to take all
forms of cyberbullying seriously. Following are a few things to keep in mind about the impact
of cyberbullying:
• Less dramatic incidents of cyberbullying can lead to depression, anxiety and academic
difficulties, perhaps because they are often not taken seriously by adults. For example, children who
are the victims of online gossip may reach out to adults only to have their feelings of fear and anxiety
minimized. Adults may brush these incidents off as normal child’s play, instructing their children to
“just ignore it.” Although the damage caused by cyberbullying may be less readily apparent than the
consequences of a fist-fight, it is no less serious.
• Although many parents use blocking software on their computers to protect their children from
sexually explicit material few parents talk to their children about cyberbullying. In fact, many adults
would probably be surprised to learn that their own behavior including the spreading of mean gossip
could be classified as cyberbullying. Children whose parents and teachers aren’t knowledgeable about
cyberbullying or simply don’t consider it a problem may be reluctant to report incidents of
cyberbullying. These children learn to keep quiet; they may be too embarrassed to admit that they
were the victim of cyberbullying or even think they were to blame.
• A past survey of over 1,500 children who use the Internet regularly found that (Ybarra &
Mitchell, 2004) children who both bully others online and are themselves the victims of cyberbullying
are in the greatest need of intervention and services. These youth manifest the highest levels of
depression and behavior problems such a vandalizing property, stealing, and drinking. Interestingly,
these youth are also the least monitored by their parents.
• Cyberbullying is “open” to all children, even those who are not physically capable of bullying
others face-to-face. It is the ability to keep his or her identity unknown that allows even the least
physically intimidating children to assert dominance over others online. Ybarra and Mitchell (2004)
estimate that fewer that 30% of victims know their online aggressors. This anonymity may empower
aggressors to do things they would never do in person, believing they will never get caught and never
knowing the full extent to which their acts have hurt others.
• Cyberbullying may be especially attractive to girls who are traditionally socialized to refrain
from aggressing towards others physically. It is now thought that girls are more likely to bully each
other through “relational methods.” That is, girls hurt each other by spreading gossip and excluding
each other from activities. Using the internet to spread gossip and rumors – typical forms of
cyberbullying – may be a new tool in girls’ repertoire of bullying.
• Many youth who bully others online are the targets of more conventional face-to-face bullying
that involves physical altercations. For these youth, creating Web sites that make fun of others and
sending anonymous hate messages may be a way to feel powerful and get back at those who have
bullied them.
Source: http://www.mindoh.com/docs/BM_Cyberbullying.pdf
Victims of cyberbullying may experience many of the same effects as children who are bullied
in person, such as a drop in grades, low self-esteem, a change in interests, or depression.
However cyberbullying can seem more extreme to its victims because of several factors:
• Occurs in children's home. Being bullied at home can take away the place children feel most safe.
• Can be harsher. Often kids say things online that they wouldn't say in person, mainly because
they can't see the other person's reaction.
• Far reaching. Kids can send emails making fun of someone to their entire class or school with a
few clicks, or post them on a website for the whole world to see.
• Anonymity. Cyberbullies often hide behind screen names and email addresses that don't identify
who they are. Not knowing who is responsible for bullying messages can add to a victim's insecurity.
• May seem inescapable. It may seem easy to get away from a cyberbully-just get offline-but for
some kids not going online takes away one of the major places they socialize.
Source: http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/suicide.html
There are often signs that someone may be thinking about or planning a suicide attempt.
Here are some of them:
• talking about suicide or death in general
• talking about "going away"
• referring to things they "won’t be needing," and giving away possessions
• talking about feeling hopeless or feeling guilty
• pulling away from friends or family and losing the desire to go out
• having no desire to take part in favorite things or activities
• having trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
• experiencing changes in eating or sleeping habits
• engaging in self-destructive behavior (drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or cutting, for example)
When struggling with problems, it helps to:
• Tell someone you trust what’s going on with you.
• Be around people who are caring and positive.
• Ask someone to help you figure out what to do about a problem you’re facing.
• Work with a therapist or counselor if problems are getting you down and depressed — or if you
don't have a strong support network, or feel you can’t cope.
Reviewed by: Matthew K. Nock, PhD
Source: http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/suicide.html
What can parents do?:
Adults must take children seriously when they talk about being bullied. It’s important for kids to
know there are adults in whom they can confide.
• Don’t ignore your child’s concerns, and don’t ask your child to ignore the bullying. Allow your
child to talk about the bullying, and document what is shared. If your child is being bullied in
cyberspace, try to block the offenders and save the evidence.
• Make sure your child understands that the bullying is not his or her fault. Never let your child think
that he/she did something to provoke the bullying. Assure them that they are not alone; other children
have gone through the same thing.
• Teach children to stand up for themselves, but don’t encourage physical retaliation. Bullies are
cowards and pick on kids who can’t or won’t defend themselves.
• Teach your child safety strategies, such as how to seek help from an adult. Oftentimes bullying
doesn’t stop until an adult gets involved. Telling an adult is not tattling.
• Offer your child activities – sports, art lessons, martial arts training, music classes – to help him/her
build self esteem. Try not to let them avoid formal activities in which they’re bullied.
• Encourage and help your child meet new friends. A child who is always alone is an easier target.
• When necessary, seek help from a mental health professional. Some kids who are bullied become so
depressed that they hurt themselves. Help your child understand that there are other ways to solve
the problem.
• Provide a safe, loving environment for your child at home.
Source: http://www.sheknows.com/articles/804345.htm
According to the book, Me,
MySpace, and I by Larry D.
Rosen, PhD (page 196), 78% of
girls and 61% of boys were bullied
VIA IM (instant message), 39% of
girls and 26% of boys were bullied
on a website, 38% of girls and 29%
of boys were bullied VIA e-mail,
34% of girls and 39% of boys were
bullied VIA chat room, 23% of girls
and 26% of boys were bullied
through text message. The
participants in this assessment
were even surveyed on who their
bully happened to be. These were
the results: 63% of girls and 60% of
boys were bullied by another
student at school, 54% of girls and
60% of boys were bullied by a
friend, 31% of girls and 50% of
boys were bullied by a stranger,
and 11% of girls and 29% of boys
were bullied by a family member.
MySpace, and I by Larry D.
Rosen, PhD (page 196), 78% of
girls and 61% of boys were bullied
VIA IM (instant message), 39% of
girls and 26% of boys were bullied
on a website, 38% of girls and 29%
of boys were bullied VIA e-mail,
34% of girls and 39% of boys were
bullied VIA chat room, 23% of girls
and 26% of boys were bullied
through text message. The
participants in this assessment
were even surveyed on who their
bully happened to be. These were
the results: 63% of girls and 60% of
boys were bullied by another
student at school, 54% of girls and
60% of boys were bullied by a
friend, 31% of girls and 50% of
boys were bullied by a stranger,
and 11% of girls and 29% of boys
were bullied by a family member.
“Research published by the
Centers for the Disease Control
and Prevention suggests that 9 to
35 percent of young people report
being victims of electronic
aggression. Some occurrences of
this type of violence happen while
students are at school, or more
frequently, during out of school
hours." Source: www.scnow.com.
To view the full report on
"electronic aggression" published
by the CDC please visit: www.cdc.
gov.
Centers for the Disease Control
and Prevention suggests that 9 to
35 percent of young people report
being victims of electronic
aggression. Some occurrences of
this type of violence happen while
students are at school, or more
frequently, during out of school
hours." Source: www.scnow.com.
To view the full report on
"electronic aggression" published
by the CDC please visit: www.cdc.
gov.
Teens / Children: If you are being
Cyber-Bullied or bullied, talk to a
parent; teacher; trusted adult; school
resource officer; police officer; or an
adult who you trust
IMMEDIATELY. Do not wait until
the issue becomes more serious,
immediately seek help from a
trusted adult.
Parents / Trusted Adult(s): Listen
to the teen/child that has been the
victim of Cyber-Bullying.
Cyber-Bullying is a serious crime
that can have
emotional/psychological effects.
Talk to them about the incident and
document ALL necessary
information.
After speaking with the child
contact the proper authorities and
release all information you may have
regarding the incident to the
authorities.
Cyber-Bullied or bullied, talk to a
parent; teacher; trusted adult; school
resource officer; police officer; or an
adult who you trust
IMMEDIATELY. Do not wait until
the issue becomes more serious,
immediately seek help from a
trusted adult.
Parents / Trusted Adult(s): Listen
to the teen/child that has been the
victim of Cyber-Bullying.
Cyber-Bullying is a serious crime
that can have
emotional/psychological effects.
Talk to them about the incident and
document ALL necessary
information.
After speaking with the child
contact the proper authorities and
release all information you may have
regarding the incident to the
authorities.
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Cyber-Bullying
Resources for Virgina Students
Who Are Within the Chesterfield
County Public Schools:
www.chesterfield.k12.va.
us/internetsafety
Who Are Within the Chesterfield
County Public Schools:
www.chesterfield.k12.va.
us/internetsafety