Understanding Bullying and 

Cyberbullying
in the Lives of Children and Teenagers

WERONIKA CHERUBIN
HAVE YOU EVER ENCOURDED
THE TERMS BULLYING AND
CYBERBULLYING?

TAKE A MINUTE AND DEFINE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS

THESE STATISTICS WERE PROVIDED BY CYBERBULLYING RESERACH CENTER IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA IN 2019. STUDENYS WERE ASKED IF THEY WERE VICTIMAZED BY CYBERBULLYING IN PREVIOUS
30 DAYS. TAKE A BRIEF LOOK AND MAKE SOME CONCLUSIONS.
DATA FROM THE CYBERBULLYING
VICTIMAZATION

• Cyberbullying is defined as: "The repeated and intentional use of technology, such as the internet
and mobile devices, to harass, harm, or mock another person. According to the conducted
research, 37% of students have reported experiencing cyberbullying in their lifetime. The most
commonly reported forms of cyberbullying in the past 30 days include mean or hurtful comments
(24.9%) and rumors spread online (22.2%). Additionally, 30% of the students surveyed reported
being cyberbullied in one or more of the twelve specific forms reported, at least twice in the past
30 days."
GROUP WORK
 There are several reasons why
children may engage in bullying •It's important to note that these reasons aren't mutually
or cyberbullying behavior. Some exclusive and a child may exhibit multiple reasons for bullying
of the most common reasons or cyberbullying.
include:

Lack of empathy: Low self-esteem: Imitation of behavior:  Stressful home environment:  Social power:  Anonymous online communication: 

 Children who bully m  Children who bully may have a poor sel Children may learn Children who experience abuse, ne Children  Children may feel 
ay lack the ability to u f-  to   bully by observing  glect, or trauma at home may be m who feel   emboldened to bully others online becau
nderstand or image and may use bullying as a way to   others, particularly if it is seen  ore likely to engage in bullying be  they are not pow se they can do so anonymously, which ca
 care about the feeling feel more powerful or in control. as an acceptable behavior in th havior. erful within their  n be particularly dangerous and
s of others, which lead eir family or community. hard to track.
group may use bu
s them to engage in hu
rtful behavior. llying as a means
 to gain social po
wer.
 LOOK INTO THIS CASE OF JAKE WHO WAS A
VICTIM OF BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING

• A case of bullying and cyberbullying that received national attention was the story of Jake, a 15-year-old
high school student in a small town. Jake was a kind and well-liked student, but he had recently come out
as gay to his friends and family. After he made this announcement, a group of his classmates began to
bully and cyberbully him. They would call him homophobic slurs and make fun of him in the hallways at
school. They also created a fake social media account using Jake's name and posted offensive and
derogatory messages, pretending to be him.
• The bullying and cyberbullying escalated, and Jake began to experience severe anxiety and depression.
He stopped going to school and stopped communicating with his friends and family. His parents reported
the bullying to the school officials and the police, but the bullying continued. Eventually, Jake took his
own life.
• This case highlights the devastating effects that bullying and cyberbullying can have on children,
especially those in marginalized groups. It also highlights the importance of taking action to prevent and
address these forms of abuse.
QUESTIONS

• What was the reason behind Jake's classmates bullying him?

ANSWERS
• The reason behind Jake's classmates bullying him was that he had recently come out as gay.

• What forms of bullying did Jake's classmates use against him?

• Jake's classmates used verbal bullying, calling him homophobic slurs and making fun of him in the
hallways, as well as cyberbullying, creating a fake social media account and posting offensive and
derogatory messages.

• How did the bullying and cyberbullying affect Jake?

• The bullying and cyberbullying affected Jake severely, causing him to experience anxiety and
depression, stop going to school and communicating with his friends and family.

• What steps did Jake's parents take to address the bullying and cyberbullying?
• Jake's parents reported the bullying to the school officials and the police but the bullying continued.

• The outcome of this case is tragic, Jake took his own life.
• What is the outcome of this case?

• This case is important because it highlights the devastating effects that bullying and cyberbullying
can have on children, especially those in marginalized groups, and the importance of taking action to
• Why is this case important? prevent and address these forms of abuse.
HOW TO PREVENT
BULLYING AND
CYBERBULLYING?
 Preventing bullying and
Providing support to victims: Providing Building a positive school culture:
cyberbullying requires a
support and resources to victims of Building a positive school culture that
multifaceted approach that involves
bullying and cyberbullying, such as promotes respect, kindness, and
education, awareness, and
counseling and mental health services, inclusion, and that encourages students
intervention. Some possible solutions
and helping them to rebuild their self- to speak out against bullying and
to prevent bullying and
esteem and sense of security. cyberbullying.
cyberbullying include:

Education and awareness: Providing

students with education on what Parental involvement: Encouraging
Empowering bystanders: Empowering
bullying and cyberbullying are, the parents to educate themselves and their
students to be active bystanders and
impact they can have, and how to children on the dangers of
intervene in situations where they see
report it, and providing awareness cyberbullying and monitoring their
bullying or cyberbullying occurring.
campaigns to promote a culture of child's online activity regularly.
kindness and respect.

Establishing clear policies and

consequences: Establishing clear Encouraging reporting: Encouraging Technology-based solutions: Using
policies and consequences for bullying students, parents, and staff to report technology to monitor and prevent
and cyberbullying, including zero- bullying and cyberbullying, and cyberbullying, such as filtering
tolerance policies and ensuring that all ensuring that all reports are taken software, and blocking or reporting
students are aware of the policies and seriously and addressed promptly. tools.
consequences.

It is important to note that solutions vary depending on the type of bullying or cyberbullying and the context of each
case, and a combination of strategies may be necessary to effectively address the issue.
IMPACT OF BULLYING
AND CYBERBULLYING
 Physical health: Children who are bullied or cyberbullied may experience physical
symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, and sleep disturbances.
IMPACT OF
BULLYING AND Mental health: Children who are bullied or cyberbullied may experience mental
health issues such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder
CYBERBULLYING (PTSD). They may also have a higher risk of suicide.

Emotional well-being: Children who are bullied or cyberbullied may experience

It's important to note that the impact feelings of sadness, loneliness, and hopelessness. They may also have difficulty
of bullying and cyberbullying can trusting others and building healthy relationships.
vary depending on the individual
child, the severity and duration of Academic performance: Children who are bullied or cyberbullied may have
the bullying, and the support that difficulty focusing in school and may perform poorly academically. They may also
the child receives. It's important to be more likely to skip school or drop out.
take immediate action to address
any form of bullying or Social isolation: Children who are bullied or cyberbullied may withdraw from
cyberbullying to minimize the social activities and have difficulty making friends. They may also feel isolated and
impact on the child. alone.

Long-term effects: Children who are bullied or cyberbullied may experience long-
term effects such as difficulty in trusting others, depression, anxiety, and difficulty
in building healthy relationships.
HOW TO GET HELP WHEN I EXPIERENCE OR SEE SOMEONE WHO
EXPIERENCE BULLYING/CYBERBULLYING
 It's important to remember that bullying and
cyberbullying are not your fault, and you are not
alone. Seeking help and support is the best way to
address the situation and move forward.
If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying or cyberbullying, it is important to
take action to address the situation as soon as possible. Here are some steps you can take.

Speak up: If you are experiencing bullying or cyberbullying, it's important to speak up and tell someone you trust, such as a parent, teacher, or
Speak up counselor. They can help you to find solutions and get the support you need.

Keep evidence: Keep a record of any bullying or cyberbullying incidents, including screenshots, text messages, and social media posts. This can
Keep be helpful when reporting the bullying to school officials or the police.

Report it: Report the bullying or cyberbullying to the appropriate authorities, such as school officials, the police, or the website or app where the
Report bullying is taking place.

Seek support: Seek support from a counselor, therapist, or other mental health professional. They can provide you with coping strategies and
Seek help you to work through the emotional impact of the bullying.

Reach out to friends and family: Surround yourself with people who care about you and support you. Talking to friends and family can help you
Reach out to feel less alone and more understood.

Don't respond Don't respond: It's important not to respond to the bully or cyberbully, as this can escalate the situation and give them more power over you.

Help others: If you see someone being bullied or cyberbullied, reach out and offer them support. Encourage them to speak up and to report the
Help bullying.