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forteachersandprincipals
Theinformationinthisguideappearsonlineathttp://www.cyberbullying.org.nz/teachers/
Whatiscyberbullying?
Cyberbullyingisbullying.It'susingtheinternet,amobilephoneorothertechnologylikea
digitalcameratohurtsomebodyorembarrassthem.
Whatdoescyberbullyinginvolve?
Bullyingin'cyberspace'coverstheuseoftheinternetorotherdeviceslikemobilephones,
camerasorgameconsolestodoanyofthefollowing:
Sendanonymoustextsorpicturemessagestoamobilephone
Postnastyorthreateningcommentsonthevictimssocialnetworkingprofileon
popularwebsiteslikeBeboandFacebook
Hackexistingwebsiteaccountsorcreatefakeprofilesforpeopletheywantto
intimidateorembarrass.
Circulatephotosorvideosofpeopletheyaretargetingthesecanberealimagesor
digitallyalteredtocauseoffenceorembarrassthevictim.
Scareorembarrasstheirvictimsandvictimsmayfeelupsetorashamed.
Spreadrumoursortrytoisolateothersusingthisnewtechnology.
Howiscyberbullyingdifferenttootherformsofbullying?
Cyberbullyingisbullying.Butwherefacetofacebullyingendedwhenthetargetgothome
fromschoolorwork,cyberbulliescanusetheinternetortheirmobiletocontinueattackson
victimsatanytimeofthedayornight.
Youngpeoplearegrowingupwithaccesstomoreandmoretechnology,oftenusingthe
internetandmobilesasthemainwaytoreachfriends.Ifthreatscontinueoutsideofschool
itmaymakethetargetfeelliketheresnoescape.
Ifmessagesaresentanonymouslythiscanmakethebullyingfeelmoreintimidating.Andif
thebullyingoccursonlinetheharassmentcanbeintensified,especiallyifpublichatepages
orembarrassingvideosarepassedaroundtheschoolcommunity.
Iscyberbullyingabigdeal?
Yes,verymuchso.In2007,around20%ofsecondaryschoolstudentsintheYouth2007
studyreportedtheyhadbeencyberbulliedinthepastyear.
Theeffectsofcyberbullying
Studentswhowerebulliedwerearound3timesmorelikelytobeanxiousanddepressed
thanstudentswhodidnotreportbeingtargetedbybullying(Youth2000study).
UKresearch(Smith,2008)foundthattheeffectsofcyberbullyingweresimilartofaceto
facebullying,andthatsomecases(i.e.,thoseinvolvingvideosofthetarget)maybeworse
thanfacetofacebullyingexperiences.Theallday/allnightpotentialofcyberbullyingcan
beassociatedwithparticularlyhighdistressandnegativestudentoutcomes.
Cyberbullyingandthelaw
Cyberbullyingcanbeacriminaloffenceunderarangeofdifferentlaws,includingsections
249252oftheCrimesAct.TheageofcriminalresponsibilityinNewZealandis10years.If
youngpeoplecommitanoffencetheymayfacewarnings,policediversions,oraFamily
GroupConference.Youngpeopleover16whocommitanoffencearetreatedasadultsby
thecourts.
EducationLawinNewZealand(EducationAct1998)includestheNationalAdministrative
Guideline5,whichsaysthatschoolsaretoprovideasafephysicalandemotional
environmentforstudents.Thisincludesaddressingbehaviours(suchascyberbullying)that
occuroutsideschoolbutwhichhaveimplicationsforstudentswellbeingwhileatschool.
WhatcanIdotopreventcyberbullyingamongstmystudents?
Cyberbullyingisbullying.Applyschoolpolicyonbullyingtocyberbullying.
UsetheLetsFightitAllTogetherandAtaDistanceresourcestoaddresscyberbullyingwith
yourstudents.
RegisterforyourfreeDVDathttp://www.cyberbullying.org.nz/order.php
Classroominterventions
Continuetopromotesafeandresponsibleuseoftechnologyinyourlearning
environment
Developaclasscontractwithyourstudentsthatincludesappropriatebehaviour
online/onmobilebothinsideandoutsideofschooltime.
EnsureallstudentsunderstandyourschoolsICTUseAgreements(templatesare
availablefromNetSafe).
Makesureparentsandcaregiversareinformedaboutwhatcyberbullyingmeansand
thatitisnottoleratedamongyourstudents.
Createapledgeinyourclassroomtobepositivebystanders
FormoreadviceonstayingsafeonlineseeourNetBasicswebsiteandlinkstopopularNew
Zealandwebsitesandservicesathttp://www.cyberbullying.org.nz/links.php
Are'bystanders'important?
Bystandersarepeoplewhodonotstartabullyingsituationbutseeithappening.
Bystanderscanhelporhinderbullyingsituations.
75%ofpeer(bystander)actionsinaUKstudy(OConnell,Pepler,&Craig,1999)were
successfulinstoppingbullying.
The4typesofbystander
Therearefourtypesofbystanders(Salmivalli,1999):
*Assistants:joininonbullyingandhelpthebully
*Reinforcers:laughandencouragethebullybutdontpersonallyattackthetarget
*Outsiders:dontgetinvolved,butseeithappen
*Defenders:Trytostopthebullyingonbehalfofthetarget
Howbystanderscanhelp
Defenderscanbeveryeffectiveinaddressingcyberbullyingsituations.Cyberbullying
defenderscanavoidthephysicaldangersofinterveninginfacetofacebullyingsituations.
Bystanderscaninterveneanonymouslybytellingsomeone/reportingabuseandsecretly
bytalkingdirectlytothetargetwithoutanaudience.
Bystanderstoacyberbullyingsituationhelpthepersonbeingbulliedbylettingthemknow
thattheysupportthem.
Bystanderscansavetheevidenceofthebullyingandreportthebullyingtosomeonewho
canhelp(e.g.,aprincipalatschool,aparentorcaregiver,etc.).
Whatdoprincipalsandteacherssay?
Finally,aresourcethatreflectsNewZealandschoolsandtherealitythatourkidsfacein
the21stCentury.'AtaDistance'isanexcellentclassroomresourcefromwhichtoinitiate
discussionswithchildren.Itclearlyshowschildrenacceptablestrategiestodealwith
cyberbullyingandbullyingingeneral.'AtaDistance'sitswellwiththe'KeepingOurselves
Safe'resource.
DonBiltcliff.Year5/6Teacher,MangereBridgeSchool,Auckland
Bullyingisaseriousissueinallschools.Cyberbullyingisaninsidiousmethodofdestroyinga
youngpersonsconfidenceandsenseofwellbeing.ThisDVDoffersapractical,compelling
resourceforteacherstousetoengageclassesinunderstanding,discussingandaddressing
theissuesofcyberbullying.Ihighlyrecommendit.
DavidLett,DeputyPrincipalMountRoskillGrammarSchool,NetSafeBoardMember
AtaDistancestandinguptocyberbullying
WatchtheNewZealandmadeshortfilmaboutcyberbullyingat
http://www.cyberbullying.org.nz/atadistancefilm/.
AllNewZealandstateandstateintegratedschoolscanregistertoreceivefreecopiesofthe
'Let'sFightitTogether'and'AtaDistance'filmsonDVD,alongwiththecompanionresource
packs.
Pleaseregisteryourdetailsathttp://www.cyberbullying.org.nz/order.php.Youcanalso
watchtheUKshortfilmLet'sFightitTogether',createdbyChildnetInternational,at
http://www.digizen.org/cyberbullying/fullFilm.aspx.