Cyberbullying in New Zealand 2012

Cyberbullying in New Zealand is the use of the Internet and related technologies to harm other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner.

It is the biggest threat to a child in the world they live in today, with over 50% of children being affected by some form of cyberbullying in their life.

It is a problem all over the world and very much alive in New Zealand schools.

The availability of faster connection speeds, free wireless access and the fact that many kids can bully anonymously has made this issue worse.

Whether through email, social networking sites or text messaging, the effect bullying has on its victim is huge. Seeing nasty messages in writing for any of us is uncomfortable for adults, so how do you think kids feel when being subjected to this behavior?

It’s important to talk about it with our children. We need to understand the signs our children may exhibit that could be an indication that they are a victim of cyberbullying.

Signs your child may be a victim of cyberbullying

• appear nervous when their cellphone beeps
• no longer wish to use the computer
• become short tempered
• loose self esteem
• no longer mix with certain friends
• not sleeping well
• loss of appetite
• loose interest in school
• decline in grade marks at school
• become anxious or nervous
• exhibit signs of depression

Remember, YOUR child may be the bully! Therefore parents should discuss with children how they think someone being bullied feels inside. Build up empathy with your children.

Ask them the different symptoms the other person may go through. See if they can put themselves into the other persons’ mind.

If your child is young, ask them the things people might say to someone else that would make them feel sad.

Often the perpetrators lack empathy and do not fully understand the affect bullying has on their victim. Once they do, it will go some way in reducing bullying issues.

Installing monitoring software on home computers will help parents potentially pick up any issues before they get out of hand. Being able to capture emails, chat conversations and more can be early indicators for trouble!

WebSafety NZ can install parental software on your home computers. For help contact them through their website: websafety.co.nz