5 questions every parent needs to ask about cyber bullying

According to a survey conducted on children between 8-17 years, India ranks 3rd in the world when it comes to online harassment.

Close to 66% of children have dealt with cyber bullying in some form.

53% of the teens revealed that they had met strangers in real life who they had contacted online. Most of these meetings are done without the knowledge of the parents.

Cyber bullying refers to intentional harming or harassing of someone in the online space. It could be through private or public messages on social media.

In cyber bullying people usually resort to name calling and/or shaming in a consistent manner in order to embarrass the other person. This could be based on their appearance, intelligence, and even their background.

Cyber bullying is also used to incite hatred and public ridicule for the victim.

India is one of the few countries where online and offline bullying numbers are equal among children.

Offline bullying might be in front of few people, whereas online bullying is usually before a public audience owing to the wide reach of social media.

There is also less empathy felt by the bully towards the victim as he/she is not able to see the person in front of them which makes the bullying more vicious.

We cannot restrict children from using computers, tablets or mobile phones, but we can make sure that it is monitored through various applications that can be installed by parents.

Talking to children about the meaning of cyber bullying so he/she is aware of it helps. It enables children to avoid situations that might make them victims of bullying.

Limiting the number of hours children are on the computer or any other device can also help in keeping them safe.

If you think a child is spending too much time on the internet or seems depressed, emotionally unstable then it is better to have a talk with him/her to discuss the reason behind it.

If you suspect that a child might be a victim of cyber bullying, it is important to have a conversation so they know you are there to help them.

If you suspect that it is someone from school or your child’s peer group, you could talk to their parents and the child as well. Explaining how the bullying affects your child could help them see the harm done by it.

Alerting the site where the bullying is taking place and blocking the bully will help from the action being repeated.

If this does not work, school authorities can be alerted as an extreme step.

If the person bullying is someone unknown, there are laws in place against cyber bullying. Under Section 66A, cyber bullying is a bailable offence, with imprisonment of three years and a fine. The cyber crime cell in your city or district can be contacted to make a complaint against cyber bullying.

Under unfortunate circumstances you might find that your child is bullying someone else. In such an instance, you need to talk to your child about the consequences of his/her actions.

Most times your child might think that what he/she is doing is harmless and not realise what the victim is going through.

If you find the behaviour to be extreme then it is best to consult a child psychologist who will be able to help you and your child understand the risks of cyber bullying.