FIGURES showing the extent of cyberbullying of girls aged 15 to 19 are disturbing and highlight an urgent need to reduce and ultimately eliminate it.
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Plan International Australia and Our Watch released results of a survey which reported 70 per cent of girls in the age bracket believe online harassment and bullying is endemic and receiving unwanted and uninvited sexuallyexplicit content online is common behaviour.
Another shocking fact comes from relationship service Interrelate – Australia is ranked number one in the world for bullying on social networks. Interrelate and similar organisations provide parents support on bullying and safety tips. Cyberbullying is difficult to avoid or escape.
Devices and software enable bullies to pursue their targets around the clock and they can reach into homes. It can be unrelenting.
The problem needs to be attacked on several fronts.
The targets of bullying obviously need to be protected and supported by parents, friends and counselling organisations. Schools need to step up existing programs and campaigns against cyberbullying.
Parents need to know what their teenagers are doing with technology and set limits on use.
They need to have open conversations about their children’s concerns and actions.
They need to know what their teenager is doing on social media and if it involves bullying or sexual harassment. If it does, they need to take action to end it immediately.
The figures say it all. The cure for the disease starts in the home.
