CYBERBULLYING & Young People

    CYBERBULLYING & Young People.

           By Joe Diamond, The Emerald Isle.

Young people need to be aware of the legal consequences of cyberbullying, also over coming a culture of not reporting such incidents to the legal authorities.

Research shows that one in four girls and one in six boys are involved in cyberbullying, either as bullies, victims or both.
Text messaging is the most common form of cyberbullying used by girls, while boys are most likely to use camera and video clips.

It is becoming apparent that young users of digital and social media should have more awareness, social competence, and strategies, as well as increased responsibility when using these forms of communication.

There needs to be more done to promote a culture of disclosure and to empower young people to report these incidents of bullying.
Young people should feel able to take action when they witness their peers being bullied, comfortable in the knowledge that they are safe doing so.

The recent deaths of Erin Gallagher, 13, in Co Donegal and Ciara Pugsley, 15 in Co Leeitrim, as well as the death of Cork schoolgirl Leanne Wolfe, 18, in 2007, shows just how damaging cyberbullying can be.

Young people need further education so they can understand the causes and effects of such bullying.
Established links are needed between Teachers and parents, youth workers etc. Parents also need a more in-depth knowledge of this matter, to recognise signs of bullying within the young person.

Cyberbullying can differ from traditional bullying in that it is indirect, often anonymous, and has the potential to reach large audiences for an indefinite period, despite the fact that the perpetrator may only have carried out a single act.