Our teenagers in America of today are now using the technology of the Internet and the other telecommunication gadgets for the purpose of resolving their personal conflicts and differences with each other by cyber bullying their perceived enemies or foes with these technologies. These evil practices or the antisocial behavior is common between students in our elementary, middle and high schools.
In recent years, the rate of cyber bullying has increased rapidly, and it is now a major issue in all the America's schools and a national matter in the public forum and in the mass media across this nation. Many schools now have different measures in place against students that engage in this antisocial behaviour. A number of personal suicides have been reported yearly across this nation from teens that were bullied by other teens.
A popular website known as Stop Cyberbullying defines cyber bullying as " when a child, preteen or teen is
tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyberstalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying".
According to Canadian educator Bill Belsey, cyber bullying:
"involves the use of information and communication technologies such as e-mail, cell phone and pager text messages, instant messaging, defamatory personal Web sites, blogs, online games and defamatory online personal polling Web sites, to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others".
WHY DO TEENAGERS BULLY EACH OTHER?
Teens bully each other for a number of reasons highlighted below:
(i)To resolve conflicts with another teen, or use cyber bullying as a form of revenge weapon.
(ii) Many power-hungry teens use bullying as an instrument of torment and ego against their perceived enemies.
(iii) Some teens use bully as a form of entertainment, fun or to kill boredom at their homes or in the schools.
(iv) Teens bully other teens because of anger and frustration they have in their personal life.
(v) Teens may also bully other teens because they are idle, done accidentally or by mistake.
ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS OF CYBER BULLYING
The needed answers to the problems of bullying amongst our teens can only come when all the stakeholders involved put their heads together and addressed this national problem. The following steps can help in addressing this important matter effectively:
(i) Educating our teens on the moral, social and legal consequences of bullying by school officials and parents.
(ii) Teaching our teens to respect each other, accept their unique differences that they have with one another, and learn how to use conflict resolution principles such as the problem-solving skills in life to resolve issues with one another instead of resulting to bullying.
(iii) School districts across this nation must put in place strong anti-bullying measures and policies in their school systems.
(iv) Parental involvement that go with close monitoring of children can lead to the early detection of signs of bullying in their children, and the use of the early intervention approach can go a long way in addressing this antisocial behaviour.
(iv)Mass media has a role to play by educating our teens on the dangers of cyber bullying of other teens.
(v)The legal enforcement agencies can also help by prosecution of cases related to cyber bullying in a timely manner.
No comments:
Post a Comment