Cyber Bullying

Girl Talk: Dealing with Cyber Bullies

I’ve definitely had a few encounters with cyber bullying. I think the reason online bullies tend to be so mean is because they can hide behind their computer screens and escape some of the guilt that comes along with bullying in person. Cyber bullies feel like they can get away with hurting people’s feelings because they are sitting in their room typing mean things instead of actually saying those things to someone’s face. It is so easy for a bully to get carried away with hurtful words, and I wish more than anything that people would just stop cyber bullying! But until my wish comes true, I’ve decided to share some of my helpful tips on how to deal with online bullies. Check them out below!

1. Don’t respond. Bullies like to feel in control of the people they hurt, so don’t let them control your emotions. The best response is no response! If you get so upset that you respond with an equally mean comeback you might in fact be bullying right back. Just ignore the bully and forget their mean words.
    
2. Save every message. Always make sure you save, screen shot, or print every hurtful message a bully sends to you. If you feel that they bullying gets so out of hand, you can use these documents to report it. Having these printed messages as proof will help you prove that bullying has been going on.
    
3. Block the bully. Similar to just ignoring them, blocking a bully makes it so that they can’t contact you at all anymore. If someone is really going out of their way to hurt your feelings, block all contact with them and try to erase them out of your life.
    
4. Tell a trusted adult. Sometimes it’s a little embarrassing to admit that a bully is saying hurtful things to you, but telling a parent, teacher or coach is a good way to get advice on how to handle a bully. Most adults have already had experience with bullying in their lives too, so they can probably help you get the situation under control. Make sure to bring your printed copies of the conversation with you so you can show a trusted adult exactly what’s been going on.
    
5. Focus on the positives. Remember that a bully is just trying to make themselves feel stronger by putting you down. Don’t dwell on the negative words they might say—instead, remember all the great qualities you bring to the table! You have friends and family who love you and the people you care about are really the only people who matter. When someone has made me feel down in the past, I’ve written a list of my favorite qualities about myself and it perked me right up!

I hope that you never have an encounter with a cyber bully (trust me it’s not fun!), but if you do, please remember these tips because they’ve worked for me in the past too. And remember, in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent!