Cyberbullying Is On The Rise, But Students Have Options For Safety & Support
Did you know that among students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied at school, that 15% were bullied online or by text? This is according to the National Center For Educational Statistics (2019 data). Online bullying, also known as cyberbullying, is definitely on the rise and is of growing concern for students, families, and educators.
As bullying comes into focus during the month of October, which is National Bullying Prevention Month, Stride Career Prep offers three tips to help students and families better overcome the experience of online bullying.
Tip #1: Become more aware of what you do online to better prevent bullying.
This is not only a good tip to mitigate the experience of cyberbullying, but it is just good online behavioral advice, as well. What you do online will follow you throughout your career, and it can affect the rest of your adult life. As the somewhat-old saying goes, “Don’t do or post anything online that you would later be ashamed to show your own grandmother.”
Tip #2: Document everything to help overcome online bullying
If you, or someone you care about, is experiencing cyberbullying, one of the best things to do right away is to begin documenting it. This will help people in positions of authority to assist you more thoroughly. Screenshots are a good first choice for documentation. But, be sure to follow that up with blocking the bully, and then reporting the issue on the platform.
Tip #3: Talk about the online bullying experience
It is important for people who have experienced online bullying to be able to talk about it with someone they trust. This could be a friend, family member, teacher, or counselor. Talking about the experience of cyberbullying helps the person who went through it to gain perspective, understanding, and proper support as they move forward.
Also of note, is the fact that bullying often differs by gender. Girls were more likely to say that someone had spread rumors about them online, while boys were more likely to say that someone had threatened to hurt them online (Patchin et al., 2019 data). This may mean that reporting the incident and then gaining proper support afterwards may need to look different for each individual who has gone through the experience.
Be sure to check out the Stride Insights article, Shy Student Makes Friends In Online School, for further reading.
And, to find out more about Stride Career Prep’s online programs, visit the site: https://www.stridelearning.com/career-prep.html
Stride K12 also has a parent and student resource page for Bullying Prevention! Be sure to check it out. You’re not alone. We’re here to help.