The Effects of Cyber Bullying in Teenagers

Cyber Bullying

One definition of Cyber bullying is that it is the employment of technology by a person to intimidate, upset, harass, demean and humiliate another person. Targets chosen by cyber bullies are no different from those picked by face-to-face bullies. These targets share characteristics such as being lonely or loners, vulnerable, socially uncomfortable, and hence mostly isolated. Some bullies choose to remain anonymous so as to escape accountability for their actions but still inflict the harm they intended. The devastating effects of cyber bullying are far reaching because the audience is larger than just the person targeted. This bullying can happen in many ways. Blogs and websites designed specifically for bullying a child are some of these ways. These avenues are used to expose embarrassing pictures, threatening messages and even private Instant Messages (IM). Bullies also use these forums to embolden others like them to "gang up" against the target. In this way, some students who are targets of bullying, being socially inexperienced, may mistakenly think that the attention given to them is friendship when, in fact, it is bullying. The aim of this case study is to discuss how cyber bullying can be prevented and stopped in society especially against young people.

Bullying is a deeply rooted practice that has existed in America since its inception. A capitalistic economy and a social hierarchy that was competitive has worked its way through the years to modern day society fueled this mind-set. Cyber bullying, which is bullying through technology is the more sophisticated modern form that has expanded the vice and made it more elusive and difficult to assess and thereby define. An examination of a number of cases, empirical studies, judicial situations and written news content was done with the aim of comprehending virtual victimization as well as identify deterring actions. This study establishes the contextual circumstances, existing judicial efforts, scientific inferences, and possible deterrent actions relating to virtual bullying.

Youngsters frequently attain important abilities and values passed on through their tutors, also via association with their colleagues. Many benefits are secured through education in America. However, many undesirable incidents that may have far-reaching consequences are also experienced. Some kids release their aggravation through bullying. Unlike before, where physical victimization was easily restrained, today things are different. Cyber bullying has grown at the same rate as technological advancement has. The result is that it is more rampant and threatening. Billiteri (2008), states that different types of technology have fueled the growth of harassment in virtual space through avenues such as mobile devices, social media sites as well as chat rooms and this has created the menace of cyber bullying.

This paper attends to old-fashioned as well as modern day bullying. The case study delivers information and knowledge on bullying, describes the problem and its nucleus, the scientific issues and issues of the law that relate to the two forms of bullying and then deliberates probable deterring actions (Carter & Texas Woman's University, 2012).

Observations

Out of the case it can be observed that the damage that results from bullying, be it bodily or mental presents numerous consequences, which may escalate into long-term detrimental emotions and effects.

Gender and bullying

Research has shown that bullying schemes, for example, verbal abuse, slander, and mocking result in psychological impact, regardless of how much pupils refuse to admit it. Various studies conducted in the field bring out this fact. One study had 3000 bullied pupil respondents out of whom 24% had feelings of helplessness, 37% had feelings of anger and 38% vengeful. A different sample of about 470 pupils tested by a research center found out that boys are less mentally affected than girls in the case of bullying, especially through technological means. From this study, 25.2% of the girls were sad while 17.9% boys were affected, girls with anger issues were 36% to the boys' 24.3%, and those frustrated among the girls were 39.6% while boys were 27.5%. Clearly, the females were more severely affected by the bullying. However, considering that boys are less likely to acknowledge difficulty, more so when emotions are concerned, the results are expected. Carter and Texas Women University (2012) highlighted this by saying that where anger and frustration were concerned, a similar or larger reaction would be expected of boys in real terms.

Age and bullying

The research center on cyber bullying went on to carry out another research on the mental impact of this bullying with regards to age. From this later study it emerged that the younger students, those at the elementary level were sadder as compared to their high school counterparts who were more enraged and exasperated. One reason put forward for this was that the high school students were already exposed to the aggressive and antagonistic social grading unlike the young ones. Carter and Texas Women University (2012) state that the elementary school children often keep their first mental reactions to themselves, as they avoid showing themselves equal to their tormentors. These children are thus more likely to hold in their responses rather than present them in any form.

Erceg, Cross and Thomson (2015) state that the sad element is that these pent up feelings in pupils have a tendency to develop and result in terrible medical consequences. There was an exhaustive research done in the year 2003 whose emphasis was on the medical consequences of virtual victimization. The research was undertaken by experts in psychiatry, sociology and psychology. This research concluded that there was an upsurge in mental suffering arising directly from cyber abuse. The conclusion of this study was that at least a third of the youth treated had cyber oppression as a major factor in their lives. Therefore, online harassment is clearly having medical, psychological influences on children in today's society.

Various states are only now beginning to realize the enormity of this issue as they look for ways to understand the vice and place it in a legal context so that punitive measures can be determined when cyber bullying occurs. Regrettably, the problem has been brought to light only after some youths took their own lives and some cases were widely publicized. A case occurring in the mid-2000s in a state in the U.S. underscores the issue effectively. According to Gerdes (2012), one parent and her child went online and developed an online profile under an alias, which they, then used to make friends with their target. They then used this profile to send harassing messages to the target to demean the subject. The target, not able to take this kind of oppression, took her own life. This was a highly publicized case in Missouri in the U.S.

Ironically, the courts were unable to hold the perpetrators of this bullying to account because there were no existent laws against what they had done. Nevertheless, the society's uproar at this lack of justice caused the prosecutors to charge the perpetrators of the crime for a different crime. This was, 'misrepresenting themselves' on the online platform which required that the information they gave be truthful, and not to oppress others or promote untruthful information.

Hinduja (2012), also say that the Missouri jury found the defendant accountable on several counts which included one crime and three violations of approved online terms.

This case propelled the state to introduce cyber bullying as part of its oppression laws to curb this problem and prevent perpetrators from deliberately terrifying, threatening or instigating mental agony.

Literature

Kohut (2007) states that addressing the issue of cyber bullying requires that the atmosphere in the school environment be developed to prevent it. This would require an atmosphere that allows ease of association, allow children to fit right in, be secure, provide reassurance, and promote self-confidence. He goes on to say that being faceless, obscure or secret makes children believe that they do not matter.

Hinduja (2012), states that when children feel faceless, they believe that no one cares for them or knows that they exist and thus they can act without accountability for their actions.

Kowalski, Limber and Agatston (2012) say that deliberate and continuous oppression, which is the description of cyber bullying, is perpetrated through electronic gadgets is intensely harmful as it does not end when school does but can be pervasive long after that. Demeaning images and words can spread online quickly and instigate increased oppression of the subject (Merianos 2001).

Raatma (2013) states that targets of cyber bullying are mostly unaware of the people that torment them, because of the aliases that the bullies use. Concurrently, as the perpetrators are not in direct contact with their targets, they are unaware of the damage they cause. Sometimes these bullies are not motivated in their actions by any real motive. Even though this type of bullying is not widespread, it has brought about some coping mechanisms such as retreating from social set ups, changing schools, inflicting pain or self-abuse and at its worst, taking one's own life.

Scherer (2011) brings out an interesting fact by stating that 20% of the students said they were victimized and 20% said they were bullies and some had played both roles at some point. Experts have opposed the suggestion that gadgets used to perpetrate these acts be disallowed as these tools are primarily for interaction and education. In any case, children would look for innovative ways to circumvent this. Scherer goes on to say that experts are also of the opinion it would be too intransigent to have a complete non-acceptance of cyber bullying.

Shariff (2009) states that according to experts on cyber bullying, taking the initiative on the side of parents, to talk about the internet, and its use with their children as well as deliberate actions like pulling down offensive posts, preplanning in the event that their children are bullied, and entering discussions with other parents are some of the ways to deal with this issue. Schools, on their part, need to intentionally design rules that guide proper use of gadgets and internet while discussions should be encouraged among pupils and their mentors and tutors focusing on this issue and its wider implications.

Spivet (2012) elaborates this point further by stating that a more encompassing style is involving children to feel that they belong and that their school values them as unique persons. However, some methods proposed by the experts might not be feasible given the constraints under which most schools function. Some of these include smaller budgets and other stressors. Thus, most schools would find it difficult to reduce their student-teacher ratio, incorporate teacher evaluations, create an accommodative environment and introduce programs to alleviate this problem. Yet this is what experts recommend for better overall performance and lesser social issues.

It is difficult to maintain a healthy atmosphere, in light of various challenges such as staff resignations too, which schools must encounter. However, educational institutions must find a way to do it.

Two experts, Hinduja and Pathin in the early 2000s started studies in this area of bullying according to Spivet (2012). These scholars have played a major role in creating awareness through talks, manuscripts, lectures, and consultations with educationists and pupils.

According to Merianos (2001) Agnew's general strain theory brings out once consequence of bullying: in the release of challenging emotions, which can result in aberrant conduct and this can lead to crime eventually. The theory brings out the unfortunate progression that victims undergo when subjected to bullying. Resultant disagreeable behavior may be expected when these victims are looking to release their pent up, dormant feelings.

Spivet (2012) reveals statistics on bullies who later went on to commit crimes. According to these statistics, the boys who perpetrated acts of bullying while in the sixth to ninth grade, formed sixty percent of adult men convicted of a crime. About forty percent of boy bullies had been convicted by their mid-20s. He concluded that these perpetrators could have been using bullying to release other inadequacies they felt they had in themselves.

Discussion

It is imperative that any type of teenage or youth peer antagonism should be addressed with high importance. The idea that this antagonism could steer a child with some problems into considering suicide, should be the driving force behind taking action against this menace of youth oppression. Close supervision of activity of children while on and off the internet should be key in order to encourage acceptable behavior and discourage bad. This supervision should be done by guardians and mentors.

Further, results suggest that priority should be given to discouraging the taking of one's life as a solution to bullying. Therefore, measures that intervene and avert this tendency, and further respond to the problem, should be put in place. The topic may be uncomfortable to engage in but taking each age into consideration, the discussion must take place to ensure that a comprehension of this terrible act and its grievous consequences is communicated in essence.

Admittedly, most youths who took their lives subsequent to victimization in the earlier, physical or confrontational ways or via cyber, also have other underlying mental and sociological or academic problems. One example of such a teenager who was bullied virtually had a background of academic and social trouble. In a different case, another victim who took her life had been on medication for depression and had a low sense of worth. Technological victimization thus cannot be entirely blamed for teenage suicides. However, it does fan the flames of despair and such other emotions in the lives of youth already struggling with these feelings. Spivet (2012) indicates that studies in the future ought to ascertain and evaluate the contribution of cyber experiences elevates stress.