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Setting Boundaries Could Make the Difference Between Life and Death

Most people know someone who has been bullied. Bullying has been around for centuries. However, today’s bullies have become more resourceful than ever, often hiding behind cyber-walls.

The word “bullycide” describes suicide as a result of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can include different types of malicious behavior using social media as a means for assaulting someone with verbal abuse. Technology has brought on a new war giving bullies a digital weapon to hide behind. Unfortunately, the results are tearing some families apart and changing lives forever.

Adriana Sgarlata, Director, Bully Police Virginia stated, “The problem of cyber-bullying is compounded by the very nature of its existence in the electronic world, where words can have a shelf life of months, years, and even decades. The tradition of home as a refuge from bullies on the school playground is over. The internet is a new playground, and there are no off hours.”

The pressure, anxiety, and depression cyberbullying causes, moves some children to take dramatic steps in order to stop the hurt.

According to a study conducted by the Yale Medical School of Science, there may be a strong connection between bullying, being bullied, and suicide. Suicide rates among adolescents continue to grow and we must band together to end this dreadful act of verbal cyber warfare. I agree with Emma Cross, Chief Executive of Beatbullying.com, who indicated that there is a connection between bullying and child suicide that is undeniably clear and the lack of clarity and research in this area is unacceptable.

There are numerous resources available when it comes to cyberbullying. As parents we must know the warning signs to look for. As educators, we must convey the consequences to those known bullies and provide the necessary steps to help victims.

When the warning signs are missed the results can be devastating. In an article posted by CNN, David Kessler added a paragraph written by a parent who lost a teenager to suicide, it reads

“I am so sorry you were in so much pain and I missed it. I can’t begin to understand a world that became so hard you saw no way out but death. I would have moved, changed schools or moved across the country for your happiness; and yet, I will never have the chance to go back and make this wrong, a right. I will never know how the school let things get so bad and why limits were not set by the school’s administration to keep not only you from being harmed but also other kids from straying into their darkness.”

Brenda High, mother of Jared B. High, a 12 year old boy who committed suicide in 1998 summed it up in these heartfelt words, “It’s your child. You must fight for him or her. No one cares like a parent cares. A parent is motivated by love.” Parents, please take the time to talk with your children and listen to what they have to say. Open communication could mean the difference between life and death if they are in danger of hurting themselves as a result of being bullied online. There is a solution for preventing teen suicide due to bullying. All children have the right to obtain an education and freely use the internet without the fear of cruelty from bullies.

Let me end by offering some ideas and resources.

● Determine and set hours for technology time: Don’t let technology become a substitute for quality time spent with your child.
● Keep cell phones out of bedrooms: Set up a charging station for cell phones keeping them in view rather than behind closed doors.
● Schedule weekly one on one talk time: Take the time to have open and honest communication with your child. Pay attention to their emotions, demeanor, and behavior.
● Use iKeepSafe Cyberbullying resources: Developed with various partners, these resources increase awareness about cyberbullying.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-Dennis Schmid is a married father of 3 living in Mesa, Arizona. Dennis works full-time for the leader in Identity Theft Protection and has first-hand knowledge of what society needs to protect families and businesses from cyber-attacks and identity theft.

 

Categories: Cyberbullying

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