Cyber Bullying

Research carried out for the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) found that 22% of 11-16 year olds had been a victim of cyber-bullying.

Cyberbullying can take any of the following methods…

• Text message
• Instant-messenger services such as MSN
• Social network sites (Bebo, Facebook)
• Emails including sending porn, unwanted images, junk mail and marketing
• Images or videos posted on the internet  or spread via mobile phone
• Interactive gaming
• Setting up websites
• Blog pages
• Internet polling
• Stealing passwords / assuming identity
• Sending malicious codes such as viruses, spyware or hacking into programmes

There are two forms through which cyber-bullying can be directed:

1. Direct attacks: messages are sent directly to the target  by the user of bullying behaviour
2. Cyberbullying by proxy: using others to spread or gather information on a particular victim.

 
Cyber bullying is a not a type of bullying in itself, but a method of bullying. So cyber-bullying can happen because of race or size just as verbal bullying can.

One of the most upsetting things about cyber-bullying is the way that it can invade all aspects of a young person’s life, meaning that there is nowhere they can feel safe and free from bullying and harassment.