Cyberbullying affects 40 percent of kids
DENVER - Cyberbullying is similar to other types of bulling; teasing, tormenting, threatening, harassing or humiliating except it happens online and through mobile devices.
If you think it's not happening at your child's school, think again. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, 40% of kids in the U.S. say they've been bullied on the Internet.
For every cyberbullying incident you read about, like last week's suicide of a Rutgers University student, Tyler Clementi there are at least a half-dozen that never make headlines.
Like Arvada West High School freshman Elle Schweitezer. When she was in middle school she was tormented by her peers.
"She started using bad words and calling me bad names and just looking at my pictures and commenting on them," says Elle of a bully teasing her on her Facebook page.
She says the bulling started on the social networking site then later progressed to her cell phone.
"I've had a bunch of numbers text me randomly," Elle says.
The more popular technology gets the more opportunities bullies have to take advantage.
"I've heard a lot of sexual cyberbullying. I had that happen to me and I didn't know what to do.
Elle did the right thing and talked to her schools principal. Together they deleted people off Elle's Facebook page that she didn't know. Eventually she deleted her page all-together and started a new, more private page.
Experts say cyberbullies are more aggressive than ever. Arvada West High School sophomore Alia Sheya says ruthless bullies nearly cost one student her life.
"People wrote things like you should kill yourself no one likes you, you're ugly you're a whore," Alia says. "The fact that this girl thought about it....She wrote to me because I was nice to her and she was like; I don't know if I should (kill myself)."
Wendy Gallant of Denver-based SafetyWeb says the problem isn't just getting worse and it's reaching kids at a younger age.
"It's happening to small children, middle school to college age students."
Gallant says the anonymity of cyber-space gives some students the liberty to be cruel.
"You say things online you would never say to their face," she adds.
SafetyWeb empowers parents to know what their kids are doing online.
"It gives parents the opportunity to intervene and step in before something horrible happens."
If you think it's not happening at your child's school, think again. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, 40% of kids in the U.S. say they've been bullied on the Internet.
For every cyberbullying incident you read about, like last week's suicide of a Rutgers University student, Tyler Clementi there are at least a half-dozen that never make headlines.
Like Arvada West High School freshman Elle Schweitezer. When she was in middle school she was tormented by her peers.
"She started using bad words and calling me bad names and just looking at my pictures and commenting on them," says Elle of a bully teasing her on her Facebook page.
She says the bulling started on the social networking site then later progressed to her cell phone.
"I've had a bunch of numbers text me randomly," Elle says.
The more popular technology gets the more opportunities bullies have to take advantage.
"I've heard a lot of sexual cyberbullying. I had that happen to me and I didn't know what to do.
Elle did the right thing and talked to her schools principal. Together they deleted people off Elle's Facebook page that she didn't know. Eventually she deleted her page all-together and started a new, more private page.
Experts say cyberbullies are more aggressive than ever. Arvada West High School sophomore Alia Sheya says ruthless bullies nearly cost one student her life.
"People wrote things like you should kill yourself no one likes you, you're ugly you're a whore," Alia says. "The fact that this girl thought about it....She wrote to me because I was nice to her and she was like; I don't know if I should (kill myself)."
Wendy Gallant of Denver-based SafetyWeb says the problem isn't just getting worse and it's reaching kids at a younger age.
"It's happening to small children, middle school to college age students."
Gallant says the anonymity of cyber-space gives some students the liberty to be cruel.
"You say things online you would never say to their face," she adds.
SafetyWeb empowers parents to know what their kids are doing online.
"It gives parents the opportunity to intervene and step in before something horrible happens."
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