Do you think cyberbullies are just for teens? Apparently not, according to Cheryl Dellasega, author of Mean Girls Grown Up (see my book review on the side bar). Grown women are spending much of their time on the internet, where of course the cyberbullies troll. The attacks can be about a myriad of things including parenting skills, bad romances, or physical appearance. Many women have dropped off certain websites due to being tormented on the internet.
Romi Lassally, author of the website True Confessions, (a site where people anonymously write their secrets), says she sees cyberbullying in about ten percent of the confessions. She says her site offers varying opinions about certain issues and some women look down on others that do things differently than they do. Lassally has the site moderated so she can provide a safe cyber environment.
Dellasega says women cyberbully because the internet provides a mask: they can type nasty comments that they would never say to the person's face.
Isn't that what most of women bullying is about anyway? So often female bullies torment others through indirect means such as spreading false rumors. Many bullies like to avoid the face-to-face confrontation, so the internet is the perfect way to express their wrath, without the consequences of a full-frontal attack.
The best way to stop cyberbullying is to walk away from computer and avoid firing back, according to Dellasega. The bullies want you to fire back, so think before you press the send button. If you know who your tormentor is, you could arrange a meeting with her in order to clear up any misunderstandings on the web.
Well, I haven't had any cyberbullies yet, and I hope I never will! Cyberbulllies, please don't target me! I really don't want to write about my personal experiences!
Keep Kicking Those Bullies!
Source: Mimi Jung/King 5 News
No comments:
Post a Comment