Today anyone can become an anonymous aggressor, who hidden behind the cell phone damages someone’s life, image and integrity. That is why today bullying is no longer limited to the realm of physical interactions, but can also exist in the virtual world of the Internet.
The term cyberbullying is contemporary to this digital age , so we invite you to find out what it really means and what to do about it.
What is cyberbullying?
There is no precise definition of what this means, although we can get closer to knowing the concept as an aggressive act that has the intention of inflicting harm on a person who becomes a victim, through the use of technology , and specifically, the one linked to the world of ICT: social networks, chats, messaging platforms, etc.
Why does this phenomenon occur?
It has been proven that the strength of social validation through the media is a great factor, that is, that the action becomes something significant when there is support from others .
It even spreads outside the original sector, reaching people outside the conflict, which can be considered something “viral”.
The reasons that lead the aggressor to perform cyberbullying may be related to:
- Anonymity: the security of doing something without giving your name, your face, your data.
- Feel superior to others.
- Not realizing the repercussions of their actions.
- Get rid of hostile instincts.
- Approval of others.
- Revenge of any kind.
When can we classify something as “cyberbullying”?
There are several characteristics to know that what you suffer or someone suffers is cyberbullying:
- It can be persistent.
- It is difficult to detect, since there is not one person responsible, but many.
- It becomes anonymous.
- It is public.
- He comes to hurt another person mentally and socially.
What are the types of cyberbullying?
These are the main variants of this type of attack :
- Grooming: This occurs when a love-type relationship is established online, making the person believe that they have an emotional connection with someone, in order to manipulate and even abuse them. It becomes more common in minors.
- Phishing: it is classified as a cybercrime, in which a person creates a false identity of a legitimate institution to obtain sensitive data from the victims and to defraud them.
- Cyberstalking: refers to the persecution of someone through the network, it can become harassment.
- Trolling: Attackers create conflict in hostile posts or comments on various platforms.
- Happy Slapping: They are commonly posted videos where we can observe harassment and attacks on people who are recorded without their consent.
- Fraping: occurs when someone destroys content that does not belong to them by pretending to be the creator.
What happens on an emotional level when you suffer cyberbullying?
Cyber-victims have been found to have:
- anxious feelings
- Depression
- suicidal ideation
- Stress
- Fear
- Low self-esteem
- Lack of trust
- angry feelings
- Frustration
- feelings of helplessness
- Nervousness
- Irritability
- Somatizations
- Sleep disorders
- Difficulty concentrating
That can occur individually or collectively, but that undoubtedly lead the person to the loss of mental health , it can even happen that there is a personality conflict, where the victim comes to doubt himself so much, that there is no return for go back to how it was.
What happens on an emotional level when you do cyberbullying?
Anyone thinks that the victim is the most affected person in this problem; however, it is necessary to pay attention to the one who does it, since outside of the reasons they have for doing this, things also happen at the intrapsychic level in the abuser .
Cyber bullies tend to:
- A higher probability of moral disengagement
- Lack of empathy
- Difficulties in complying with regulations
- Problems due to aggressive behavior
- criminal conduct
- Intake of alcohol and drugs
- school absenteeism
What to do in the face of cyberbullying if I am a victim?
There is a list of recommendations that you can follow if you suffer from this phenomenon:
- Ignore: Offenders tend to need a response from the victim to continue their action.
- Discuss it with an adult: it is necessary to make known what is happening to you.
- Block the harasser: if there are many people, eliminate them all.
- Complaint: there are policies on the internet where you can make your complaint, even on social networks.
- Go to a therapeutic accompaniment: it is always necessary to vent about what happened
What to do if I need to help someone who is being cyberbullied?
- Know that your response must be immediate: not many people are able to ask for help, if someone trusts you, support them.
- Respond immediately (does not mean hastily): you have to listen to the victim and find the best solution together.
- Motivate him to report: it is necessary to report the abuser at all times.
- Get different perspectives: convince him to talk about it with someone more professional, be it his parents, psychologists, teachers or someone in authority.
- The goal is to be able to restore your confidence.
