Bullying and Harassment

Sian Jackson

Semester 2, 2010

What is Bullying and Harassment?

Bullying occurs when people abuse power to oppress or annoy other people.

Harassment is bullying taken to another level. It is a crime, and should be reported to the police.

What is Cyber Bullying?

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying which is carried out through an internet service such as email, chat room, discussion group, online social networking, instant messaging or web pages. It can also include bullying through mobile phone technologies such as SMS.

What are the different types of bullying and harassment?

Verbal bullying: when someone is called names, threatened and made to feel bad.

Physical bullying: when someone is hit, punched, pushed or have

their personal items stolen and any other kind of physical aggressive contact.

Social bullying: when someone is left out of games, deliberately ignored and has bad things spread about them and made to feel like an outsider.

Psychological bullying: when a someone is stalked or intimidated. Cyber Bullying: This type of bullying can be chat rooms, online,

instant messing, on a mobile phone or even emails.

What are the actions of a cyber bully?

• Examples of cyber bullying behavior are:

• Teasing and being made fun of

• Spreading of rumours online

• Sending unwanted messages

What are the warning signals?

Some signals to watch out for if you believe a friend is being bullied are:

• Antisocial behavior

• Fear of being alone

• Depression

• Anxiety

What are the effects of bullying for the bully?

Children who bully are more likely to engage in other criminal and anti-social behaviors, such as:

• Fighting• Vandalism• Truancy• Dropping out of school• Stealing• Smoking• Alcohol/and or drug abuse

What are the effects of bullying for the victim?

Bullying for the victim can be devastating. They can experience many different behaviors, and all are very hard to deal with:

• Fear of being alone• Depression • Loneliness• Anxiety• Low self-esteem• Physical illness• Suicidal thoughts

But there is help for all of this…

How can you avoid cyber bullies?

• Keep a record (including time and date) - This may help you (or the police) to find out who is sending the messages.

• Tell someone - Talk to someone you trust, a parent, friend, school counsellor or teacher.

• If messages are threatening or serious get in touch with the police - Cyberbullying, if it's threatening, is illegal. You don't need to put up with that!

• Change your contact details - Get a new user name for the internet, a new e-mail account, a new mobile phone number and only give them out to your closest friends.

How can you deal with the bullies?

• Be assertive

• Tell a trusted adult

• Know what kind of bully you are facing

• Have some kind of self defense ready

• Remember that you are the brave one, not them.

Who can you tell?

• Parents and teacher can always help with bullying

• For Cyberbullies, there is almost always a report user button on chats and emails

• Talk to Lifeline or Helpline. Their numbers are 13 11 14 and 1800 55 1800

Who can you tell cont.

• http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/11_16/report/

This is a website with a report abuse button on it, so you can access some kind of relief no matter what.

BE A FRIEND, BEFORE YOU LOSE ONE…