|
Doctors | Staffing | Clinics | History | Cola Award | Privacy Practice | Immunizations | Newsletter | Contact Us |
 |
More kids are becoming targets of cyberbullying "Johnny" sits down at the family computer after another day of the seventh grade and unfolds a piece of paper that he found in his locker. The paper has a Web address, so he logs on and types it in. Johnny is surprised as his name, address, phone number, and picture appear on the screen. Soon he's reading hateful comments about himself, ranging from racial bigotry to sexual innuendo. Somebody even has posted details about his parents' marital problems. This Web site already has been accessed more than 400 times, and though Johnny suspects a classmate created the site, he doesn't know whom. He's too embarrassed to tell his parents, and he's dreading school tomorrow. Although Johnny is fictitious, stories like his are becoming more common. Unlike traditional bullying, such as name-calling, shoving, or spreading rumors at lunchtime, cyberbullying is broadcast to the world and the perpetrators often are anonymous. With this added anonymity, the harassers tend to say even crueler things than would be said face-to-face. Adolescents today are computer savvy enough to create and maintain free Web sites from their own homes, and there are many cases of kids making sites dedicated to humiliating another child. Parents who are aware of their children being cyberbullied have found it difficult to stop it, especially since a 1997 U.S. Supreme Court decision defends a person's right to free speech. The Arizona Prevention Resource Center offers these tips about when and where to report cyberbullying:
Also, parents can do their part to prevent cyberbullying by monitoring their children's online use at home. -Greg McConnell |