“I love you so much just remember that please and I’m so sorry for
everything.” An 18-year-old girl who experienced cyberbullying left her last
words to her family before she shot herself in the chest (CBS News, 2016). The
girl had experienced cyberbullying for more than a year and she had been
receiving abusive text messages from an untraceable smartphone application.
Although she changed her number, but she had always been victimized, which in
fact pushed her over the edge to commit suicide.
Along with the increasing access to the Internet over recent years, there
are growing number of risks for heavy Internet users, especially to the
youngsters. Technology has been so advanced that there are no boundaries. It
does not involve face-to-face communication and the people are so free to say
and do whatever without thinking about its consequences. Yes, we do have
freedom to express whatever we want to express but these rights could be
beneficial but problematic at the same time.
Cyberbullying is an intentional and deliberate behaviour carried out
repeatedly over time which causes harm or even mental abuse to the victim
online or offline. It causes pain to the victim psychologically and emotionally
which drives them to the extent of their mind. That is the reason why there
have been several high-profile cases which involves teenagers taking their own
life because of being harassed and mistreated over the internet. According to
National bullying survey done in 2016, 55% of the respondents have experienced
social bullying, and 52% subjected to false rumours online while 46% were
threatened (Bullying UK, 2016).
Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it can happen
any time of the day or night with internet access. The common forms of
cyberbullying include sending threatening text messages, spreading libellous
rumours and gossip, blackmail and grooming, uploading inappropriate or
humiliating images without permission or when comments get abusive. Cyberbullying
messages and images can be posted anonymously and it can go viral very fast. This
has heavily influenced a person’s behavioural, identity and social development,
particularly to the teenagers. However, the sad story is where the anonymous is
often difficult and sometimes impossible to trace.
It has come to our attention that most of the people suffered
cyberbullying in silence. They are hesitant to tell anyone when cyberbullying
occurs as they think that it is an extreme embarrassment to themselves.
Therefore, it is important for all of us to respond and address carefully, as
the one beside you right now might have experienced it silently. Be the one who
cures, rather than the one who hurts. One person’s joke could be another’s
hurtful insult. Pick your words carefully before you tell as one’s lives is in
your hand!
References
Bullying UK (2016) Bullying [online],
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