Aerial's Research Page

4. What are some signs that someone may be the victim of cyberbullying?

7. Identify 5 surprising statistics that relate to cyberbullying.

10. What are some ways that cyberbullying affects teens-both physically and mentally?


Citations and Notes

"Is Your Child Being CyberBullied? Important Signs." Yahoo! Shine. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/is-your-child-being-cyberbullied-important-signs- 577100.html>.

1.National surveys by online safety expert, Parry Aftab, estimate that 85 percent of 12 and 13-year olds have had experience with cyber bullying; 53 percent say they have been bullied online.
2.
  • Hesitant to be online; nervous when an Instant Message, text message or Email appears
  • Visibly upset after using the computer or cell phone or suddenly avoids it
  • Hides or clears the computer screen or closes cellphone when you enter
  • Spends unusually and longer hours online in a more tense pensive tone
  • Withdraws from friends, falls behind in schoolwork's or wants to avoid school
  • Suddenly sullen, evasive withdrawn, marked change in personality or behavior
  • Trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, excessively moody or crying, seems depressed
  • Suspicious phone calls, e-mails and packages arrives at your home
  • Possible drop in academic performance
3. One survey found that while 93 percent of parents feel they have a good idea of what their kids are doing on the Internet; 41 percent of our kids say they don't share with us what they do or where they go online.

"Parents & Carers." Signs of Bullying. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. <http://www.kidscape.org.uk/parents/signsof.shtml>.
1. Despite the potential damage of cyber bullying, it is alarmingly common among adolescents and teens. According to Cyber bullying statistics from the i-SAFE foundation:
  • 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 cyber bullying occurs.
The Harford County Examiner reported similarly concerning cyber bullying statistics:
  • Around half of teens have been the victims of cyber bullying
  • Only 1 in 10 teens tells a parent if they have been a cyber bully victim
  • Fewer than 1 in 5 cyber bullying incidents are reported to law enforcement
  • 1 in 10 adolescents or teens have had embarrassing or damaging pictures taken of themselves without their permission, often using cell phone cameras
  • About 1 in 5 teens have posted or sent sexually suggestive or nude pictures of themselves to others
  • Girls are somewhat more likely than boys to be involved in cyber bullying
The Cyberbullying Research Center also did a series of surveys that found these cyber bullying statistics:
  • Over 80 percent of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most popular form of technology and a common medium for cyber bullying
  • About half of young people have experienced some form of cyber bullying, and 10 to 20 percent experience it regularly
  • Mean, hurtful comments and spreading rumors are the most common type of cyber bullying
  • Girls are at least as likely as boys to be cyber bullies or their victims
  • Boys are more likely to be threatened by cyber bullies than girls
  • Cyber bullying affects all races
  • Cyber bullying victims are more likely to have low self esteem and to consider suicide

2. Children may :
  • be frightened of walking to and from school
  • change their usual route
  • not want you to go on the school bus
  • beg you to drive them to school
  • be unwilling to go to school (or be 'school phobic')
  • feel ill in the mornings
  • begin truanting
  • begin doing poorly in their school work
  • come home regularly with clothes or books destroyed
  • come home starving (bully taking dinner money)
  • become withdrawn, start stammering, lack confidence
  • become distressed and anxious, stop eating
  • attempt or threaten suicide
  • cry themselves to sleep, have nightmares
  • have their possessions go missing
  • ask for money or start stealing (to pay the bully)
  • continually 'lose' their pocket money
  • refuse to talk about what's wrong
  • have unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches
  • begin to bully other children, siblings
  • become aggressive and unreasonable
  • give improbable excuses for any of the above
http://www.kidshelp.com.au/grownups/news-research/hot-topics/cyber-bullying.php
1.

Figure 1. Frequency of cyberbullying methods

external image cyber-bullying-figure_1.gif

2.
  • Low self esteem and loss in confidence
  • Anxiety
  • Sadness or depression
  • Fear
  • Anger
  • Embarrassment
  • Decreased academic achievement due to difficulties the affected child has in concentrating or being in a classroom with bullies
  • Truancy behaviour by the child to avoid the bullying behaviour
  • Poor mental health and persistent feelings of being physical ill
  • Self harming/suicidal thoughts and behaviours
  • Negative impacts on the quality of their relationships with family, peers, and authority figures.