Protect Your Children from Cyber Bullying (2)
>> Nov 26, 2009
This post is the continuance. After you know the meaning and the victim signs, let assume here that your child is already being cyber bullied. Surveys conducted by Symantec have revealed that kids globally (19%) have undergone some kind of experience with cyber bullies that could involve getting messages, pictures, video recordings that are intentionally sent to poke jokes or tricks. A survey conducted by Beatbullying reveals a shocking 35.9% of children aged between eleven to eighteen years old have experienced cyber bullying.
If your child is truly being cyber bullied, what parents should do?
- Don’t be panic, it will make things worse. You don’t need to rush action like immediately calling other parents, the school, blaming your child or taking away internet at home…
- Support your child completely. Make she/he feels secure. Words and cyber attacks can harm a child easily and have a lasting effect. The risk of emotional pain can be very real and serious.
- A quick guide: your actions have to increase as the threat and pain to your child does. There are two things that you must consider first: Is your child threatened to be physically harm? And how is your child handling the threats emotionally?
- If it’s needed, you may let the school know about the cyber bullying that happens to your child. The teachers and guidance counselor at school can pay more attention to in-school bullying cases. They can also help you to know more how your child is handling things at school.
- If there is any indication that personal contact information has been posted online, or any threats are made to your child that you assume potentially dangerous, you should report to your local law enforcement agency. Take a print-out of all instances of cyberbullying to show them, but note that a print-out is not sufficient to prove a case of cyber-harassment or cyberbullying. You'll need electronic evidence and live data for that. Let the related authority help you!
As we all know, protection is always the best. In addition to several things that I’ve mentioned before, it’s also important for you to build child’s self protection. Let children know at first all the risks that may happen if using cyber things. Having known all risks, if the cyber bullying still happens, your child will know how to response and handle it in a proper way. Thanks to Lembaga Pelatihan for the useful input!
The picture is taken from utellit.wordpress.com
