EXAMPLES OF CYBER BULLYING

Below is an article taken form the Steamboat Pilot & Today News about cyber bullying.

For the sake of others: Cyberbullying

Madison Rupel/For the Steamboat Pilot & Today

Sunday, November 17, 2013

http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2013/nov/17/sake-others-cyberbullying/

When a misunderstanding becomes a motive for saying hurtful things, students can act upon it within seconds from behind the safety of their keypads and the veil of anonymity.

#That is why cyberbullying is so hard to prevent.

#And with new social media apps from Facebook to Snapchat making it easier for kids to engage with one another after school, bullies have more ways to say hurtful things.

#The ease with which someone can post a comment online without experiencing the human aspect of the interaction has developed into an epidemic of unaccountability that plagues a generation.

#“Words do hurt,” Steamboat Springs High School senior Emily Puffett said.

#Puffett experienced cyberbullying her sophomore year when a misunderstanding between her and another student became the catalyst for abuse when the student’s friends banded together to send Puffett threatening messages via text and Facebook.

#Within days, she felt isolated.

#She described cyberbullying as an “easy attack.”

#Statistics from i-Safe America, which surveyed students nationwide in fourth through eighth grades during the 2003-04 school year, showed more than half of students have had someone say mean things to them online.

#A majority of those who were surveyed also admitted to bullying themselves.

#“Education is going to be the key component in teaching kids and their parents how to prevent and respond to cyberbullying,” said Heather Savalox, leader of It Takes Courage, a nonprofit group that has students and health care professionals going into area schools to prevent bullying.

#Savalox started the group after her 15-year-old niece committed suicide after being bullied.

#Savalox said parents need to take a more active role in monitoring their kids’ online activities and set boundaries for appropriate use of technology.

#Shelby DeWolfe, a counselor at Steamboat Springs High School, agreed and said parents should start having conversations, setting expectations and maintaining an open dialogue with their kids.

#DeWolfe said she has witnessed cyberbullying among local teenagers, mainly through texting and Facebook, though it can occur anywhere on the Internet and on any interactive technological device.

#While cyberbullying may stem from a variety of motives, ranging from revenge to entertainment and ego boosting, it usually produces the same results: leaving the victim feeling isolated, threatened and humiliated.

#DeWolfe noted the kids involved often times switch roles as victims and bullies throughout their altercations, typically without realizing it.

#At the high school, counselors work with students to develop conflict-resolution skills and a sense of accountability for their actions. They also work with staff to provide ongoing professional development in recognizing and dealing with bullying.

#Madison Ruppel, a senior at Steamboat Springs High School, is working as a fall intern for the Steamboat Pilot & Today.