Cyberbullying leads to violence in Pasco CountySunday, August 5, 2007 Cyberbullying is on the rise, particularly among teenage girls. PASCO COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- The Internet has taken bullying from the school yard to computers worldwide.
It's called cyberbullying, where kids and teens hurl insults on-line.
One cyber-feud in Pasco County turned into violence on the street.
Zephyrhills police said they arrested a 17-year-old girl for slashing others with a boxcutter following a fight that started on MySpace.
Nasty things said in the virtual world can lead to troubles in the real world like in Zephyrhills as Sergeant Rob Perrault explained.
"When they confronted her they got into an altercation," Perrault said. "This other girl presented a boxcutter and started swinging the boxcutter at whoever was confronting the friend."
CyberbullyingInsults on-line spread rapidlyDr. Steve O'Brien discusses cyber safety and bullying.School Resource Center E-mail TV reporter Michelle KayThree victims wound up with slashes all over their bodies.
Perrault said parents should keep an eye out for high tech name calling.
"Ultimately, parents need to supervise their children at all times," he said
Lizette Alexander with the Pasco County School District said whether it's e-mails, texts or instant messages, they spread quickly.
"You embarrass someone on line it's not as simple as, 'Well, I said you were a liar to a friend on the phone.' It might take weeks before a half dozen people heard about it," Alexander said. "Now, at the push of a button you have many people involved in that communication."
Lizette Alexander said whether it's e-mails, texts or instant messages, they spread quickly.Police and the schools said it's best not to start anything in cyberspace to begin with.
The 17-year-old accused of using the boxcutter is charged with several counts of aggravated battery.
Most school districts have added cyberbullying polices to protect students. Pasco schools have flyers to give to kids and parents warning about how to prevent and handle cyberbullying. Children are encouraged to tell a trusted adult if they believe they are victims.
When you think of traditional playground bullies you may think of fights involving boys. But on the web girls are more likely to hurl insults. According to a study by the University of Wisconsin, 38 percent of girls said they've been bullied compared to 34 percent of boys.
However, many of the girls said they do respond back to the bully and many times the online message gets out of hand. Twelve percent of kids in that study said they'd been physically threatened.
A bill in Washington that calls attention to cyberbullying was introduced last week. The "Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act" would make sure children get educated about the issue and help them understand how to appropriately communicate on social networking web sites and chat rooms.
It's called cyberbullying, where kids and teens hurl insults on-line.
One cyber-feud in Pasco County turned into violence on the street.
Zephyrhills police said they arrested a 17-year-old girl for slashing others with a boxcutter following a fight that started on MySpace.
Nasty things said in the virtual world can lead to troubles in the real world like in Zephyrhills as Sergeant Rob Perrault explained.
"When they confronted her they got into an altercation," Perrault said. "This other girl presented a boxcutter and started swinging the boxcutter at whoever was confronting the friend."
CyberbullyingInsults on-line spread rapidlyDr. Steve O'Brien discusses cyber safety and bullying.School Resource Center E-mail TV reporter Michelle KayThree victims wound up with slashes all over their bodies.
Perrault said parents should keep an eye out for high tech name calling.
"Ultimately, parents need to supervise their children at all times," he said
Lizette Alexander with the Pasco County School District said whether it's e-mails, texts or instant messages, they spread quickly.
"You embarrass someone on line it's not as simple as, 'Well, I said you were a liar to a friend on the phone.' It might take weeks before a half dozen people heard about it," Alexander said. "Now, at the push of a button you have many people involved in that communication."
Lizette Alexander said whether it's e-mails, texts or instant messages, they spread quickly.Police and the schools said it's best not to start anything in cyberspace to begin with.
The 17-year-old accused of using the boxcutter is charged with several counts of aggravated battery.
Most school districts have added cyberbullying polices to protect students. Pasco schools have flyers to give to kids and parents warning about how to prevent and handle cyberbullying. Children are encouraged to tell a trusted adult if they believe they are victims.
When you think of traditional playground bullies you may think of fights involving boys. But on the web girls are more likely to hurl insults. According to a study by the University of Wisconsin, 38 percent of girls said they've been bullied compared to 34 percent of boys.
However, many of the girls said they do respond back to the bully and many times the online message gets out of hand. Twelve percent of kids in that study said they'd been physically threatened.
A bill in Washington that calls attention to cyberbullying was introduced last week. The "Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act" would make sure children get educated about the issue and help them understand how to appropriately communicate on social networking web sites and chat rooms.
Okay so is anyone else sick of the issues that the Internet is causing? I love the Internet don't get me wrong...it is my livelihood, but there are issues that arise daily because of misuse of its power. Now, most people would say that we honestly view the Internet as a means to let off some steam...saying things that we normally wouldn't to the face of another person. The reason being that we don't have to look them in the eye when we do so!
My son will soon be 7 and I worry about the world he is growing up in. There seems to be no recourse for a parent. I hate the idea that he will one day be picked on but I know the day will come. I was picked on in school and I had horrible self esteem throughout my teenage years. It was terrible. Bullying on the playground/hallways still occurs. My baby cousin, not really a baby he is 12, endured some of the worst bullying last year and my heart just broke for him. He is one of the sweetest most sensitive natured boys you will ever meet. He is quiet and responsible...an easy target for a bully. This bully latched onto him almost as soon as school started. He punched him in the groin, took his lunch, threw his books to the floor, pushed him around...it was terrible. Every week it seemed his parents were on the phone with someone at the school trying to get the issue cleared up...do you know their response? Well, we didn't see it happen so there isn't much we can do. It got to the point where my cousin was coming home from school and vomiting from the situation. It got fully out of control. And then the bully got expelled...do you want to know why? He brought a knife to school. You talk about terrifying. Here was the child that had put my baby cousin through so much hell carrying a knife. And the school? Was absolutely NO help at all. Horrible!! You depend on these schools to be there for your child not created a worse problem.
Now add to that the cyber bullying and you have a compounded problem that can have some damaging and lasting effects. Parents NEED to monitor what their children do online. How many times do you people have to hear that? It has to be one of the most irresponsible things a parent could do...I don't care what the excuse is. My child, almost 7, has NEVER been on the Internet. He has never logged into any site and I aim to keep it that way for as long as possible. When he is old enough our computer will be in the general living area where adult eyes will monitor his every move. I will not take chances when it comes to his well being...either physical or mental. That is the bottom line. And there will be hell to pay for the child that does bully him. I don't take unfair treatment sitting down or lightly. I let my views be known...typically in a public arena loudly! I am not a fighter. I have never physically fought before in my life but I know how to verbally get a point across. This is a ridiculous issue that we shouldn't even be dealing with, if parents were doing their jobs!
Now add to that the cyber bullying and you have a compounded problem that can have some damaging and lasting effects. Parents NEED to monitor what their children do online. How many times do you people have to hear that? It has to be one of the most irresponsible things a parent could do...I don't care what the excuse is. My child, almost 7, has NEVER been on the Internet. He has never logged into any site and I aim to keep it that way for as long as possible. When he is old enough our computer will be in the general living area where adult eyes will monitor his every move. I will not take chances when it comes to his well being...either physical or mental. That is the bottom line. And there will be hell to pay for the child that does bully him. I don't take unfair treatment sitting down or lightly. I let my views be known...typically in a public arena loudly! I am not a fighter. I have never physically fought before in my life but I know how to verbally get a point across. This is a ridiculous issue that we shouldn't even be dealing with, if parents were doing their jobs!
When are people going to realize the lasting effects that bullying has? Do we forget Columbine and Virginia Tech? You would think that we would get the point. THIS NEEDS TO STOP! It needs to stop being tolerated at home. It needs to have swift lasting consequences at school. And there needs to be laws that govern it online. I for one am in support for the bill. So I have to give up some freedom of speech so be it..will a single life be saved by this bill? You bet, and that is worth it. Please PLEASE PLEASE if you have school age children or grandchildren visit this site. It could save your child's life! Remember that suicidal rates are high during the teen years...bullying is usually the underlying reason...don't let it invade your family!
Some simple statistics for you to ponder
Although little research has been conducted on cyber bullying, recent studies have found that:
18% of students in grades 6-8 said they had been cyberbullied at least once in the last couple of months; and 6% said it had happened to them 2 or more times (Kowalski et al., 2005).
11% of students in grades 6-8 said they had cyberbullied another person at least once in the last couple of months, and 2% said they had done it two or more times (Kowalski et al., 2005).
19% of regular Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17 reported being involved in online aggression; 15% had been aggressors, and 7% had been targets (3% were both aggressors and targets) (Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004).
17% of 6-11 year-olds and 36% of 12-17-year-olds reported that someone said threatening or embarrassing things about them through e-mail, instant messages, web sites, chat rooms, or text messages (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006).
Cyber bullying has increased in recent years. In nationally representative surveys of 10-17 year-olds, twice as many children and youth indicated that they had been victims and perpetrators of online harassment in 2005 compared with 1999/2000 (Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2006). Who are the victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying? In a recent study of students in grades 6-8 (Kowalski et al., 2005):
Girls were about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying.
Of those students who had been cyberbullied relatively frequently (at least twice in the last couple of months):
62% said that they had been cyberbullied by another student at school, and 46% had been cyberbullied by a friend.
55% didn't know who had cyberbullied them.
Of those students who admitted cyber bullying others relatively frequently:
60% had cyberbullied another student at school, and 56% had cyberbullied a friend.What are the most common methods of cyber bullying? In recent studies of middle and high school students, (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006; Kowalski et al., 2005; Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2006) the most common way that children and youth reported being cyberbullied was through instant messaging. Somewhat less common ways involved the use of chat rooms, e-mails, and messages posted on web sites. A study of younger children (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006) showed that they were most often bullied through e-mail, comments on a web site, or in a chat room. Where are children and youth cyber bullied? In a recent telephone survey of preteens (6-11 year-olds) and teens (12-17 year-olds) (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006):
45% of preteens and 30% of teens who had been cyber bullied received the messages while at school;
44% of preteens and 70% of teens who had been cyber bullied received the messages at home; and
34% of preteens and 25% of teens who had been cyber bullied received the messages while at a friend's house. Do children tell others if they are cyber bullied?According to one telephone survey of preteens and teens (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006):
51% of preteens but only 35% of teens who had been cyber bullied had told their parents about their experience;
27% of preteens and only 9% of teens who had been cyber bullied had told a teacher;
44% of preteens and 72% of teens who had been cyber bullied had told a friend;
31% of preteens and 35% of teens who had been cyber bullied had told a brother or sister; and
16% of preteens and teens who had been cyber bullied had told no one.
18% of students in grades 6-8 said they had been cyberbullied at least once in the last couple of months; and 6% said it had happened to them 2 or more times (Kowalski et al., 2005).
11% of students in grades 6-8 said they had cyberbullied another person at least once in the last couple of months, and 2% said they had done it two or more times (Kowalski et al., 2005).
19% of regular Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17 reported being involved in online aggression; 15% had been aggressors, and 7% had been targets (3% were both aggressors and targets) (Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004).
17% of 6-11 year-olds and 36% of 12-17-year-olds reported that someone said threatening or embarrassing things about them through e-mail, instant messages, web sites, chat rooms, or text messages (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006).
Cyber bullying has increased in recent years. In nationally representative surveys of 10-17 year-olds, twice as many children and youth indicated that they had been victims and perpetrators of online harassment in 2005 compared with 1999/2000 (Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2006). Who are the victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying? In a recent study of students in grades 6-8 (Kowalski et al., 2005):
Girls were about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying.
Of those students who had been cyberbullied relatively frequently (at least twice in the last couple of months):
62% said that they had been cyberbullied by another student at school, and 46% had been cyberbullied by a friend.
55% didn't know who had cyberbullied them.
Of those students who admitted cyber bullying others relatively frequently:
60% had cyberbullied another student at school, and 56% had cyberbullied a friend.What are the most common methods of cyber bullying? In recent studies of middle and high school students, (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006; Kowalski et al., 2005; Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2006) the most common way that children and youth reported being cyberbullied was through instant messaging. Somewhat less common ways involved the use of chat rooms, e-mails, and messages posted on web sites. A study of younger children (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006) showed that they were most often bullied through e-mail, comments on a web site, or in a chat room. Where are children and youth cyber bullied? In a recent telephone survey of preteens (6-11 year-olds) and teens (12-17 year-olds) (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006):
45% of preteens and 30% of teens who had been cyber bullied received the messages while at school;
44% of preteens and 70% of teens who had been cyber bullied received the messages at home; and
34% of preteens and 25% of teens who had been cyber bullied received the messages while at a friend's house. Do children tell others if they are cyber bullied?According to one telephone survey of preteens and teens (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006):
51% of preteens but only 35% of teens who had been cyber bullied had told their parents about their experience;
27% of preteens and only 9% of teens who had been cyber bullied had told a teacher;
44% of preteens and 72% of teens who had been cyber bullied had told a friend;
31% of preteens and 35% of teens who had been cyber bullied had told a brother or sister; and
16% of preteens and teens who had been cyber bullied had told no one.
These numbers are staggering. Please I implore you to speak to your children. Give them a trusted adult, if you relationships are strained, they can go to. Give them an OUT!!
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