Digital Avengers: Teens Fight Cyberbullying

We wanted to share with you this great new infographic created by one of our expert writers, Vera Marie Reed.

As more and more children are sharing their lives with their peers through technology, instances of bullying via text messages, social media, and other digital platforms seem to be on the rise. This is known as cyberbullying, and unlike the bullies of old, this method of harassment is far more relentless.

Standing up to cyberbullying is a big task, and not one that anyone can take on alone. This is why kids, parents, guardians, and teachers all need to work together.

According to the National Crime prevention, as many as 43 percent of kids and teens have been bullied online. Worse still, around half of those victimized by bullies are not telling the adults in their life.

Without parental support, cyberbullying can leave lasting emotional and psychological scars. Now more than ever, parents, teachers, and kids need to work together to stand up to cyberbullies.

As we mentioned before, many of the children and teens that are being bullied never tell anyone what is happening. It is critical that kids come forward and tell someone when they witness cyberbullying – whether it is happening to them or to someone else.

Tell a parent, a teacher, or even the website administrator, so that they can take the proper actions to stop that bully!

For adults, the task might even be more complicated. Yes, you have to keep an eye on the little ones in your life and watch for signs of bullying (either on their phones or on their faces). But it is also important that parents, guardians, and authority figures like teachers and coaches encourage the kids in their lives.

By fostering and nourishing a child’s confidence, you just might give him the strength to stand up to a bully. Even if he is bullied, a child who feels connected to an authority figure in his life is far more likely to talk about it, saving him from further torment.

While 43 percent of kids are bullied online, statistics also show that 57 percent of bullies stop their behavior when someone stands up to them. If we all work together, you’d be surprised how quickly cyberbulling can become a thing of the past.

And if you need some more tips on how to report what you see online we’ve got them right here:

Get your cyberbuillying infografic