“Don’t be mean behind the screen!”

That’s our message to cyber bullies this month, as we draw attention to the problem and provide advice to any students who may suffering from bullying online.

Our senior prefect team are leading a campaign in St Paul’s in November to combat cyber bullying and to raise attention among our student population to the seriousness of this issue, and how following some simple steps online can help make life better for everyone.

Cyber bullying is when a person or a group of people uses the internet, mobile phones, online games or any other kind of digital technology to threaten, tease, upset or humiliate someone else.

What makes cyber bullying different from other types of bullying?

Cyber bullying is a form of bullying but because it happens online or on mobile phones it can happen 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• – If you are being bullied at school you can usually get away from the bullies when you are at home but with cyber bullying it can feel like there is
  no escape.
• – Cyber bullying can be done anonymously. For example, they might set up fake accounts and hide their IP address or block their mobile number.
• – When bullying happens at school it is usually one person or a small group of people. Cyber bullying can be really scary as it could involve a lot more people  – you might feel that people ganging up on you.

Our campaign is based around four simple actions that can be immediately used to combat a cyberbully.

1.  TELL!  If you experience cyber bulling online, then tell someone you trust immediately.  Don’t suffer in silence.
2.  UNFRIEND!  Don’t allow bullies to see your presence online.
3.  BLOCK!   Prevent cyber bullies from ‘re-friending’ you, or being able to contact you via another person.
4.  REPORT!  Contact CEOP and report the online bully.

I’m being cyber bullied, how can I make it stop?

Cyber bullying is very serious. It can make you feel scared, upset, and embarrassed. You might feel like it will never end.

No one has the right to make you feel this way. We want you to know there are things you can do to make it stop.

You shouldn’t have to deal with bullying alone – think about talking to someone you trust like a parent, carer or teacher. They can help you report the bullying and be there to listen to you. Having someone to talk things through with is really important – it can make you feel less alone and more confident to deal with the situation.

Remember to keep a copy of any abusive texts, emails, comments or messages that you receive and record the date and time they were sent. With cyber bullying there is always a trail and keeping records can be very useful when it comes to reporting the bullying.

Try not to reply to any messages you receive. It can encourage the bullies and end up upsetting you more.

If you’re being cyber bullied you can always talk to Childline on 1-2-1 chat , by email, or by calling 0800 1111.

Are there any other steps I can take to stop the bullying?

• Never give out any personal details on the internet – your real name, address, age or phone number. Even telling someone which school you go to can help them find out more about you.
• If you are being bullied on a social network you could think about whether you want to delete your profile or make it temporarily inactive.
• You can block email address or chat users if you are being bullied by email or instant messenger.
• You can bar a particular number from contacting another phone on some handsets. Check your phone user guide to see if yours can.
• You can report any online abuse through the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) website.

Catch the cyber bully online.  

Watch this video for some useful tips to help catch an online cyber bully.

 

 

STAY SAFE ONLINE!

Donwnload our special Safebook poster

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

A Guide to Cyber bullying, from the Office for Internet Safety