“Great! That should keep my fans up to date on my vacation!” Alila puts her phone away after a fun-filled weekend and slips into her bed, having uploaded photos from her trip.
However, two hours into her sleep, Alila’s iPhone could not stop buzzing, ‘ting.. ting.. ting’. Unable to ignore the constant buzz, she takes out her phone and sees 120 notifications on her social media pages.
“I was shocked because this has never happened before. When I opened one notification, I was hit with a mean body-shaming text.” she whispered.
The deeper she read through, the worse she felt about her body. The messages kept on getting meaner and meaner. She had to put her phone on Airplane mode and cry herself to sleep.
“How can strangers be so mean. They dont even know me” she wondered.
Alila was under attack from Cyberbullies.
Cyberbullying can have serious effects on victims. These effects include depression, anxiety, suicidal tendencies, social anxiety, decreased self-esteem, shamefulness, serious mental health problems, difficulties sleeping, and poor performance at school or work.
Victims of cyberbullying are at a higher risk for internalization of problems, which means that they are more likely to blame themselves for the bullying and to feel that they are responsible for the situation
What Are The Types of Cyber Bullying?
Harassment, outing/doxing, cyberstalking, revenge porn, swatting, corporate attacks, account hacking, exclusion, fraping, and masquerading are all forms of cyberbullying.
Harassment happens when the bully sends offensive and threatening communications to his or her target via electronic means of communication.
When a bully posts private information about the victim online, this is known as outing/doxing. When a bully regularly sends messages or pursues the victim online, this is known as cyberstalking.
When a bully shares sexually graphic photographs or videos of the victim without their consent, this is referred to as revenge porn.
Swatting occurs when a bully makes a false report to the police in order to have a police unit, usually a SWAT team, search the victim’s home.
Corporate attacks and account hacking are when the bully targets a company or individual’s online accounts.
Exclusion is when the bully intentionally leaves the victim out of online groups or activities.
Fraping is when the bully takes over the victim’s social media account and posts embarrassing or inappropriate content.
Masquerading is when the bully creates a fake online identity to harass the victim.
How to Handle Cyberbullying
Some of the tips include not retaliating or responding with a nasty post, trying not to take the comments personally, signing off the computer or walking away from the situation, blocking the bully, saving and printing out evidence of the bullying, and seeking help from a trusted adult or professional.
Additionally, it is important to document instances where a cyberbully is posting, messaging, or attacking you or someone you know.
Keep an electronic log and screenshot every time the bully posts. Include dates, captures of the bullying, and the site or forum on which the online bullying occurs.
UNICEF also suggests that cyberbullying leaves a digital footprint, which can be used as evidence to help stop the abuse.
How can I help someone who is affected by cyberbullying?
There are various ways to help someone you know who has been cyberbullied.
First, let them know you care about them and disagree with what’s happening.
Offer comfort and support, and talk about any bullying experiences you had as a child to help them feel less alone.
Encourage them to block the bully and not respond or retaliate.
Keep a copy of any evidence of the bullying and report it to the appropriate authorities if there are any real threats to their safety.
If the victim is a youngster, speak with his or her teacher, administrator, or counsellor.
