Online bullying is not limited to young people. According to the Pew Research Center, four-in-ten Americans have experienced online harassment. Furthermore, research shows that school bullying is not limited to students either. Some school personnel considers themselves to be the target of an adult bully.

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying, although usually conducted by teens, is harassment using technology. It involves posting rumors, threats, sexual remarks, personal information, or other insults. Bullies hide behind social media sites now more than ever. Cyberbullying is more prevalent and harmful because victims can read undesirable texts and emails at home and at any time of day. In addition, victims feel greater dishonor since the Internet has the potential of reaching millions of online viewers.

People, both young and old, continue to conduct more routine activities online. That means that more people access the Internet for social, work, and educational purposes. Therefore, it’s only natural that cyberbullying is on the rise. An estimated 81 percent of organizations that monitor cyberbullying activities reported an increase in the number of incidences in the past year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System also reported that nearly 16.1 percent of surveyed Alabama youth are being bullied online. But what about adult bullying?

Adult Bullying

Online harassment for adults is not new, but it does seem to be getting more severe according to the Pew Research Center. Half of those that report experiencing online harassment attribute this harassment to their political views. Furthermore, 75 percent of adults surveyed indicated that their bullying experiences occurred on social media. Adult cyberbullying is also more likely to be classified as stalking or harassment.

While there may be limits to what can be done about adult cyberbullying, it is still important for school staff to model good behavior for their communities. Therefore, it is critically important that school leaders and administrators are proactive when addressing adult bullying that occurs among school staff. Behavior that falls short of the legal definition of harassment is often permitted by employers, but it can be detrimental to all individuals involved. It is advisable that leaders adopt and enforce policies that prevent and resolve adult bullying.

Symptoms of Cyberbullying

As cyberbullying incidences continue to rise, there are signs that parents and guardians in particular can look for to determine whether kids are being bullied online. Approximately 20 percent of bullying incidents are not reported. Children may try to resolve the issue on their own first before coming to an adult. However, children who are bullied may exhibit one or more of the following signs:

• increase or decrease their use of digital devices
• falling grades
• change in eating and sleep habits
• complaints of being ill
• withdrawn behavior and signs of depression
• self-destructive behavior and suicide

What to do if Bullying Occurs

In addition to keeping communication open, consider the following actions to put a stop to cyberbullying:

• Be aware of what your children are doing online.
• Don’t ignore cyberbullying. Immediately address the situation. Ask questions to learn who is involved and what happened. Keep a record.
• Report the incidents to the service provider. If it involves a student who attends the same school as your child, inform the school.
• Contact the police if the bullying or harassment escalates.
• Help children understand what bullying is and the adverse effects it has on other people.
• Block bullies on cell phones and social media sites.

More Information

Alabama 4-H at Alabama A&M University offers a program designed to reduce bullying in schools and communities called the Helping Youth Promote Empathy (HYPE) initiative. The HYPE program promotes empathy as a method of bullying prevention for school-age children 5 to18. The sessions identify the four types of bullying (verbal, social, physical, and cyberbullying) and practice strategies to stop bullying when it occurs.

Additional resources on cyberbullying and other forms of bullying are available at www.aces.edu.

References

Cynthia J. Kleinheksel and Richard T. Geisel. 2019. “An examination of adult bullying in the K-12 workplace: Implications for school leaders.” School Leadership Review, 14(1), 91-105.

Emily A. Vogels. 2021. “The State of Online Harassment.” https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/01/13/the-state-of-online-harassment/.