Cyber Bullying: My Experience

 Picture was taken from STOP CYBERBULLYING 

I recently had a run-in with a group of adult cyberbullies online.

My story is pretty short and simple.

I recently joined a local facebook group in hopes of promoting my blog locally. Only a few folks in the group of more than 2800 people had a problem with my blog. The bullying came over time, would start out as snarky comments towards me and then escalated into fully blown personal attacks. I blocked the two people who were doing the attacks and then shortly after I began having any links to my blog deleted from the group by the admin and that’s when all the bullying started. This small group of people began posting about my blog and how it was just a front for me to “scam people out of stuff” and then started to get REALLY nasty and started focusing on my weight. I promptly left the group, blocked everyone and wrote the admin begging him/her to put a stop to this. They never responded to my pleas so friends began reaching out after this continued for WEEKS pleading, and the admin said I brought this on myself and it was not “bullying”. Friends began getting banned from the group who stood up for me and then they began being personally attacked. It’s been over a month and they are still going, one adult even went so far as posting information about where I live when someone asked where could they purchase farm animals in the area and said there was a “pig for sale” at that address. The sad part is these are ADULTS who are twice my age and they think it’s hilarious.

I have moved on honestly. The only reason I am actually SHARING my story is because I recently read that 20% of kids who are cyberbullied will think about suicide and over 4500 kids a year commit suicide, a large portion due to bullying. I was APPLAUDED! Completely sick to my stomach at this number!

So I decided to use my story to possibly change the minds of children and adults who are being bullied to know THEY matter!

Cyberbullying involves using technology, like cell phones and the Internet, to bully or harass another person. Cyberbullying can take many forms:

• Sending mean messages or threats to a person’s email account or cell phone
• Spreading rumors online or through texts
• Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages
• Stealing a person’s account information to break into their account and send damaging messages
• Pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person
• Taking unflattering pictures of a person and spreading them through cell phones or the Internet
• Sexting, or circulating sexually suggestive pictures or messages about a person

Stats:

• Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber-bullying.
• More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.
• Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.
• Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyberbullying occurs.

The suicide rate among young teens is concerning to me!

According to a study by Yale University, bullied victims are 7 to 9% more likely to consider suicide! That is just too much for me!!

Are you being bullied?

• Unplug and Ignore: Remove yourself from the situation, log off or turn off the device they are using to bully you and DO not respond to the bully
• Record and Save Everything: Screenshot all messages, Save all Text Messages etc.
• Reach Out To A Trusted Source: Friend, Family, Teacher and even the Police can help you.
• Cut Off The Bully: Block them, Avoid them.
• If They Are Using Social Media To Bully Report It!

DO NOT!

• Engage The Bully
• Let The Bully Bring You Down or Destroy Your Self Esteem!

Are you or someone you know feeling suicidal?

Reach Out

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1 (800) 273-8255

And Remember You Are Worth It!