Post on 05-Dec-2014
description
Coláiste Éanna Anti-Bullying Campaign
Preventing and responding to bullying and cyber-bullying
Bullying in Irish Schools
40% of complaints to the Children’s Ombudsman in Ireland relate to school and bullying is highlighted as one of the main five issues.
(Report of Ombudsman for Children 2012)
Over half of young people stated that they would not tell anyone about bullying because they would be afraid that it would make the bullying worse
(ISPCC’s 2011 National Children’s Consultation survey involving over 18,000 young people)
Most students in a classroom or school
do not bully others regularly and are not victimized
BUT
80% of those who join in do so on the part of the perpetrator. (Frey et al. Developmental Psychology2005, Vol. 41, No. 3, 479–491)
Bullying
To understand cyber-bullying we must first understand bullying?
Bullying is understood to be any behaviour that is
deliberate, hurtful
repeated over time
For bullying to happen
There must be
A target and a perpetrator
The presence of bystanders adds to the dynamics in the process
Verbal - Slagging/name calling/teasing or verbally harassing
Social – Spreading rumours/ disrupting friendships/gossiping/excluding or isolating
Physical - Messing with or taking or damaging other peoples’ property
Violent - Physical aggression - assaulting in some way or verbal violence…either by traditional or cyber means
Some types of bullying behaviours we may see, hear or be aware of
Some indicators that someone may be being bullied - effects of bullying
Feelings of insecurity - Damage to self-confidence/self-esteem
Poor or deteriorating academic performance – withdrawal from activities
Physical injury/torn clothes or damaged property Behaviour/mood changes Stress/distress – may affect sleep or eating patterns Extreme anxiety/panic attacks, Depression/Nervous breakdown Self-Harm Suicide
Cyber-bullying
Home should be a safe place away from bullying and harassment occurring in a social context
But Through the use of technology 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
(Cyber) Bullying is…….
Unwanted Repeated over time (?) A power imbalance The targeted person feels socially excluded A threat Deliberate Used to upset people
Methods of cyber-bullying
E-mail Mobile/smart phones Text messages X box live or Play Station network Instant messaging / MSN Social networking sites Chat rooms Video sharing websites (YouTube)
Ask fm
Types of cyber-bullying
“Harassment”: Repeatedly sending offensive, rude, and insulting messages
“Cyber Stalking”: Repeatedly sending messages that include threats of harm or are highly intimidating and make a person afraid for his or her own safety
“Denigration”: ‘Dissing’ - circulating cruel gossip or rumours about a student to damage his or her reputation or friendships
“Outing and Trickery”: Tricking someone into revealing secret or embarrassing information which is then shared without consent
Types of cyber-bullying
“Flaming”: Online fights using electronic messages with angry and vulgar language
“Impersonation”: Pretending to be someone else and sending or posting material online that makes someone look bad, gets her/him in trouble or danger, or damages her/his reputation or friendships
“Exclusion”: Intentionally excluding someone from an on-line group, like a ‘buddy list’
People who behave like this….
Think it’s “funny” Don’t think it’s a big deal Are encouraged by friends (get swept along) Don’t think about consequences Think “everybody” behaves like this Think they won’t or can’t get caught
Excuses, excuses…..
“It’s fun” “Everyone does it” “He’s annoying” “We’re only playing/messing” “He’s my friend”!!!!!!!!!!!!
Being cyber-bullied
One of the most threatening aspects of being the target of Cyber Bullying is that
you can’t see the person who is bullying you and often you don’t even know who it is.
Parents’ role in preparing their children for the on-line world
Set down family rules.
Give advice for preventing and responding to bullying - and the reasons why?
Steps to prevent cyber-bullying
Be careful when posting pictures of yourself.
Don’t share Your Passwords Private /Personal information on line.. Worries or anxieties you have
Why not?
You may not really know how private your online conversation is
orwith whom you are sharing them
There may be some who have access to your conversations who are not your friends and . . .
who will share your information with THEIR friends . .
These in turn, may share them with their friends . . .who do not even know you and . . .
These others may share them with their friends . . .
Parents' advice to their children as to what they can do
Bullying on the phone…..
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 it continues….
If the Cyber Bullying continues, report the problem to the school and/or 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
Responding to online Bullying
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 person who is bullying : (a) by email, by adding her/him to your “blocked list” (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
Attitude is everything!(or a large part of it)
Research shows that those who Cyber Bully are often the same people who bully people directly
One of the biggest drawbacks of online communication is the inability to recognise when “the line” has been crossed. Those who engage in
online banter may become de-sensitised to the harm they are causing others and enjoy the thrill
of the descent into serious and destructive aggression
Questioning Attitudes Maintaining Standards
Challenging the attitudes that drive the behaviour
- Why do we do these things? “It’s fun” - “For Whom?” “Everyone does it” - “Everyone?” “He’s annoying” - “He is not his behaviour!” “We’re only playing/messing” - “Playing with him or using him as a plaything?” “He’s my friend”- If that’s how you treat your friends…
There are no excuses
Encourage your children …
To support their friends in a positive way
To refuse to pass along Cyber Bullying messages, even if asked to do so
To not text, email, blog or communicate in any other way when angry or upset.
To maintain friendships off line in order to help stop Cyber Bullying
Bystanders to (cyber) bullying
One of the most important steps to be taken to combat (cyber) bullying will be empowering
student bystanders-who-are-part-of-the-problem
to become
student bystanders-who-are-part-of-the-solution.
Why should they act?
Frequently, the only people who know that a student is being victimized are other students.
Students who are being victimized often do not tell adults for many reasons:
Too distressed Think its their fault Fear consequences ……….Students who report that such (cyber) bullying isoccurring may literally be saving the life of another
student.
Remember
The Internet holds tremendous promise for creating a better world –
a more peaceful and respectful world. But this world cannot be created through laws or
through technology protection measures. We have to focus on empowering our
young people with the values, skills, and motivation to make safe and responsible choices in their online world.
(Willard N, M.S., J.D., Director Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use)