Getting away from the constant threat of bullying can be one of the reasons to leave a traditional learning environment. If you do see yourself as a victim, you may not feel empowered to fight back. Bullies can make our lives quite miserable. Not only do our grades begin to suffer, but so does our self-esteem and not to mention our safety. The advice given by the schools may be to stand up for ourselves and inform teachers and parents about our concerns. In practice, it may not be enough to make the bullying stop.
A strong bully will be clever enough to keep at the activity. Escaping the situation may seem like the easiest option. Fortunately, schools have an absolute zero tolerance for bullying; though, unfortunately, it still happens all over the world. The digital world is no exception.
If you’re like most teenagers, you probably spend a few hours every day Online. It’s a whole other world of opportunity for people who like to tease, intimidate, insult, and threaten other people just for the sake of it. Cyberbullying goes beyond trolling. It’s an act of cruelty intended to hurt another person.
At BrightMinds, students are expected and encouraged to participate in class discussion and to voice their opinions. But like any online platform where interaction is involved, the risk of encountering people who don’t share the same views as you is higher. That is why we have policies in place to make the discussions a safe and effective place to learn. It’s okay to disagree with someone, as long as you both respect your ability to do so.
The more time you spend Online, the more susceptible you are to meeting off-putting characters, whether they are fellow students or people you meet through social media. You may be the victim of cyberbullying if:
If you think someone Online—a fellow student, an acquaintance, or even a total stranger—may be bullying you, the most important thing to remember is to NEVER respond. Your bully is trying to get a reaction out of you; at first, your silence will frustrate them, but eventually, it will bore them. Print out the nasty communication they sent you and delete everything. If the situation worsens or the bully persists, present the printed communication to your parents or the police.
Looking at the comment section of any YouTube video makes you think that people feel invincible on the Internet. But just because you’re slightly more anonymous, doesn’t mean that you should harass others with impunity. You may be an unwitting cyberbully if you’ve committed any of these internet sins:
For more information about what constitutes online bullying, click here.
To learn more about bullying prevention strategies, click here.
You don’t have to face online bullying alone. If you feel like a fellow student has crossed the line, speak to your parents and teachers right away. BrightMinds has zero tolerance for online bullies and will take action to ensure your mental and physical well-being doesn’t suffer.