Cyber Bullying is Harassment

Bullying comes in many forms. When I was a young child and young adult there were mainly two types of bullying; physical and mental. The physical bullying usually occurred when a bigger or stronger student picked on a weaker one. The mental bullying involved the use verbal insults, threats and intimidation. Although the mental bullying did not leave physical bruises or scars, the psychological trauma often hurt the victim worse than any physical confrontations. However in the 1970s and 80s, a child's home always provided a safe haven for those that had to endure any type of bullying. Things have changed a lot since those days. Now bullies can use modern technology to as a means to harass others 24/7. Cyber bullying can happen via sms texts, chat rooms, social networks, blog posts, etc. Although the word "cyber bullying" sounds ridiculous, it's very nature is quite serious. I found articles about how this type of harassment has driven minors and young adults to suicide. I've included the following link on how children can help protect themselves: 10 Ways to Protect Your Children From Cyber Bullying. The one thing that this article did not mention was that although victims can not always escape harassment, they can take steps in protecting themselves. It is important that the person being harassed keep all electronic evidence such as threatening sms texts and emails. This evidence can be very useful in tracking down the culprit, and bringing them to justice. Each sms and email contains code similar to an IP address that authorities can use to trace to the source of the threat. Laws are starting to be drafted in many states in America and other countries to help discourage cyber bullying. However, sometimes the best defence is a good offense. Teachers and parents need to educate children on how to protect themselves against cyber bullies. This includes keeping personal data such as user names and passwords confidential, and reminding children anytime they send a message or picture to someone it can very well come back to haunt them in the future.