Bullying has always existed in one form or another. There used to be a time however when bullying and the need for dealing with bullies was only limited to when the victim was actually in the physical presence of the bully.
Once you got home from school or work, you were “safe!” The bullies couldn’t touch you in any way whatsoever aside from the phone and you had a chance to answer that and just hang up if you wanted to! Now we have Cyberbullying.
While some people may consider bullying to be a normal part of growing up, today’s form of bullying has become something quite different.
Cyberbullying takes hurtful comments and actions beyond the school grounds through cell phones and the Internet, making kids vulnerable 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The potential dangers of cyberbullying are very real, ranging from low self-esteem to suicide. In February of 2010, the Cyberbullying Research Center surveyed a random sample of 4,441 children and teenagers between the ages of 10 and 18 from 37 different schools in the southern U.S. Below are just some of the statistics from the study regarding technology and cyberbullying.
Use of Technology
• 83% of the kids use cell phones
• 47.1% use cell phones at school
• 40.5% take pictures with cell phones
• 31.5% go online with cell phones
• 50.1% use Facebook
• 37.7% use MySpace
• 6.5% use Twitter
Cyberbullying Victimization
• 20.8% of the kids have been cyberbullied in their lifetime
• 17% have been cyberbullied at least once in the previous 30 days
• 13.3% have been cyberbullied by rumors online
• 14.3% have been cyberbullied by mean or hurtful comments online
• 7.2% have been threatened online
By understanding the reality of cyberbullying and its potential dangers to kids’ mental health and well being, you can start protecting your children. For more statistics about cyberbullying, visit the Cyberbullying Research Center’s research page.
Visit https://Signup.TrueCare.com for more information on cyberbullying, online safety and Internet reputation management.
True, true, it is not fair that Cyber Bullying is here, probably to stay, and that its reach is so deep and the effects can be so tragic however we can and will fight this dreadful epidemic! Be there for your children and or friends and let them konw you love them and that they can always rely on you. Monitor Facebook, Twitter and mobile phones. Its not an invasion of privacy, it is concern for their welfare!
Also make sure you are aware and also take necessary action regarding the above Cyberbullying Statistics You Should Know. Knowledge is power but only if used…
