Bullying 101
When most people hear the term “bullying”, they can relate this experience to something that has happened to them in the past.
It may have happened at school, during those awkward years at the neighborhood pool, or even while playing outside with friends. There are many places that past generations have experienced bullying that relate to children today currently experiencing these same hurtful feelings. However, as a society, we’ve traded Pogs and Polly Pockets for Smart phones and Play stations. Bullying has changed, creating the need for new polices and laws to deal with not only bullying but the new trend called “Cyberbullying.”
The reasons for bullying have not changed. Uslegal.com defines bullying as an intentional act that causes harm to others, and may involve verbal harassment, verbal or non-verbal threats, physical assault, stalking, or other methods of coercion such as manipulation, blackmail, or extortion. Bullying involves multiple instances of aggressive behavior that intends to hurt, threaten or frighten another person. An imbalance of power between the aggressor and the victim is often involved.
Looking at the true statistics on Cyberbullying is shocking!!
• According to a McAfee 2014 study, 87% of today’s youth have witnessed cyberbullying.
• Approximately 34% of students acknowledge that they have experienced cyberbullying as reported in a 2015 study by the Cyberbullying Research Center.
• 15% of surveyed students admit to cyberbullying others according to a 2015 study by the Cyberbullying Research Center.
• 24% of our sons and daughters report that they do not know what to do if they would be harassed online according to a McAfee 2014 study.
• 39% of our children do not enable their privacy settings on social media reported in the 2014 McAfee study.
• In the 2014 McAfee study, one out of three kids feel they are more accepted on social media networks than in real life.
• 72% of children report being cyberbullied about their looks according to the found in the McAfee 2014 study.
• Girls tend to favor social media outlets like Snapchat or Instagram while boys often interact over gaming consoles according to the Pew Research Center.
If you are aware of anyone experiencing bullying issues, please contact The Sterk Family Law Group for a free consultation to discuss the details of your specific case. You may be able to secure a No Contact order under certain circumstances. You can contact our office at 815-600-8950 or visit us on the web at www.sterkfamilylaw.com and Empower Yourself with Options.