Traditional school or playground bullying has taken a back seat in recent years. Technology, in the form of cell phones, e-mails, and social networking sites, has created a whole new venue in which children and teenagers can bully each other.
Bullying in Schools
Bullying in schools has been an ongoing issue over the years. Children and teenagers from all cultural and religious backgrounds have likely been the focus of bullying by a fellow student who may be larger, stronger, smarter, or even healthier then they are. Bullying comes in many forms; physical bullying, like punching or kicking, and emotional bullying, like teasing and name calling, are just a couple of ways many school children have reported being bullied by another student.
Effects of Bullying
Being the victim of bullying can put unnecessary stress on a child or teenager. Bullying victims may develop stress related health conditions, have trouble staying focused in the classroom, or have difficulty concentrating on schoolwork. Bullied children often feel fearful at school or on the bus. Feelings of low self esteem, anxiety, loneliness, and even depression, often follow the bullied child throughout their school age years, and may continue to haunt them into adulthood.
Facebook Bullying — Newest Online Bullying Venue
Bullying is reaching a whole new level with the ever increasing technological advancements of e-mail, chat rooms, online multi-player games, Facebook style social networking sites, and internet capable cell phones. Cyber bullying or online social cruelty is the newest way in which bullies can harass, threaten, and even stalk their victims.
Stop Bullying Now — Cyber Bullying Laws
Parents and teachers can help to prevent school and online bullying by reporting it. Step in if you witness an attack, overhear verbal degradation, or hear about any instance of cyber bullying. Alerting someone like a school official or even the police can help to put a stop to bullying.
Most states do have bullying laws in place to protect victims; however, very few of these states have laws that include cyber bullying. The few states that do have internet bullying laws, require that a school have a policy in place that is geared to handle as much of the electronic harassment or cyber bullying issues as possible, before involving the law.
Online Cyber Bullying is Serious Business
Traditional bullying, and online cyber bullying is a big issue. Technological advancements in internet capable cell phones, social networking sites like Facebook, and e-mail, have created a whole new venue bullies can access to harass their victims. Online bullying is serious and parents and teachers should be aware of the potentially damaging effects cyber bullying can have on children and teenagers.
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Kelly Dupree - My love of animals, especially cats, and my interest in science has led to a serious passion to write well researched articles.
