BULLYING

and

Bullying behaviour is no longer restricted to the

school yard.

It is often by phone or online and out of sight and earshot of both teachers and parents,

Your home should be a safe place where you can be

away from bullying and harassment . . .

. . . but Cyber Bullying by phone and online can affect you even when you are at home . . .

Being cruel, repeatedly circulating hurtful material to others or

about others using technological

meansCyber Bullying is repeatedly using computers, mobile phones, smart phones or any other technology to cause hurt or embarrassment to another person

Cyber Bullies may:• Spread lies about pupils

• Spread rumours about pupils

• Circulate pictures without consent

• Circulate altered pictures without consent

• Trick people into revealing personal information

• Circulate personal information about someone without consent

E-mail Mobile/smart phones Text messages Instant messaging / MSN Social networking sites Chat rooms These can be like well-designed

playgrounds . . . at night . . . with no adults . . . and with a few troublemakers hanging around

ASK.fm

Anti-Bullying Campaign

People who Cyber Bully:• Think it’s “funny”• Don’t think it’s a big deal • Are encouraged by friends • Don’t think about consequences• Think everybody Cyber Bullies others• Think they won’t or can’t get caught

But we were just slagging! We didn't mean it!

(Cyber)-Bullying is …• Unwanted

• Repeated over time

• A power imbalance

• Victim feels socially excluded

• A threat

• Deliberate

• Used to upset people

Slagging is …• When the pupil targeted

is in on the joke• When pupil targeted also

laughs• When it ends quickly• When all are on the same level• When there is no

discrimination• When there is no fear or threat• Any hurt or upset is accidental

One of the most threatening aspects of being the target of Cyber Bullying is that . . .

. . . You can’t see who is doing it so you

think you don’t know who it

is.

But research shows that those who Cyber Bully are usually the same people who bully people directly . . .so you may know who they are . . .But to prove it you will need evidence . . . and cyber-bullies leave lots of electronic “fingerprints.”To outsmart them, don’t be angry . . . be clever!

A victim of Cyber Bullying by phone should:• Never reply to bullying or harassment by phone

• Put yourself in control - store the messages as evidence

• Block the sender - phone networks allow you to do this

• Tell someone you trust that the bullying is going on

• If Cyber Bullying continues, report the problem to parents/teachers and depending on severity, the Gardaí.

• Even if the sender’s number is hidden the exact time and date are attached to messages and enable the Gardaí to check with the service provider and trace the sender of the message

A victim of Cyber Bullying online should:• Never reply to online bullying or harassment • Put yourself in control - store and print out messages and keep

them as evidence, noting exact time and date if possible • Block communication with the Cyber Bullying person: (a) by email, by adding her/him to your “blocked list” and (b) on social networking sites (e.g. Facebook) by (i) reporting the bullying to the site

administrators and (ii) changing your privacy settings to exclude

her/him • If Cyber Bullying continues, report the problem to

parents/teachers and depending on severity, the Gardaí.

Useful rules to live by: • If you wouldn’t say it in person . . . don’t say it in a

message • Before you send a message remember . . . everything that is

sent is traceable - even if you send it anonymously• If it is nasty, if it is mean . . .

don’t send it, don’t forward it, don’t let it be seen

• Talk to your friends about cyber-bullying and if any of you are targeted then take action

• Ask your friends to Help Stop Cyber Bullying