Are you being cyber bullied? Do you want to put a stop to it? Becoming a victim of a cyber bully is no fun as it often involves embarrassment, harassment and threats. It can also lead to fear and feeling outcast. If you want to stop a cyber bully, consider the following tips:
Don’t fight bullying with bullying
When you fight a cyber bully by bullying back, you are perpetuating it, rather than stopping the problem. One of the most common mistakes that a person who’s a victim of harassment will make is getting mean and retaliating. The victim feels justified in retaliating because the person bullied them in some way. Never try to stop someone from cyber bullying you by bullying them back. Instead, do what you can to keep them from being able to bully you. Never allow anyone to take or get a hold of any photos, videos or information about you that could be potentially embarrassing. Make sure that your social networking sites, blogs and chats need to be private; be selective about who you give access to, who you add as friends and the like. Don’t bully back. Fight cyber bulling with information and make it difficult for someone to bully you.
Try to understand what type of cyber bully they are
There are a number of different cyber bullies out there. Some bully in response to being bullied. Some bully with their friends as a form of entertainment. Some bully because they have the technological skill to do so and are often bullied in the traditional sense, so it is a form of revenge for them. Some bully ignorantly, as they do not realize that the things they are doing and saying are causing harm or discomfort to others. When you understand what kind of bully they are, you have a better chance of stopping them. For example, if they are doing it unintentionally, making them aware of how it is affecting you can help them stop. If they are doing it out of vengeance, not responding to them may cause the bullying to escalate. Knowing what they want from the bullying can help you get them to stop the abuse.
Respond, but don’t react
Most cyber bullying happens in order to elicit a reaction from you. For example, a group of girls may get together and alter a photo of someone, then post it all over the web. They do it for entertainment, because they laugh at what people say, and how it makes the person in the photo feel. Therefore, instead of reacting, simply email the site administrator and request that the offending photo be removed. Threaten to sue, or call the police and file harassment charges; however, if you threaten it, be prepared to follow through if need be. If you react to bullying, the bullying will continue. Find ways to stop it without giving them the reaction they want.
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to