The past week has seen the very serious impact of cyber bullying brought to the surface, in light of the events surrounding Australia’s Next Top Model judge Charlotte Dawson. We delve deeper into the issue, and bring you expert advice on the appropriate course of action in dealing with cyber bullies…By Katie Martlew
What began as attacks on Ms Dawson’s appearance via Twitter quickly escalated to vitriol and death threats, leading to the reality star’s hospitalisation last Thursday morning.
However this incident is certainly not an isolated one, with 1 in 10 young Australians experiencing cyber bullying every few weeks or more.
What is Cyber bullying?
“Cyber bullying is basically an extension of traditional bullying, whereby the bullying methods such as ‘harassing’, ‘intimidating’, ‘threatening’, ‘antagonising’, and ‘tormenting’, are conducted by way of different forms of technology such as social networking sites, websites, email, and text messages,” says Clinical and Forensic Psychologist Kerry Watson-Sauchella.
“However Cyber-bullying is also different to traditional bullying in that it can be anonymous, involve many more people much more quickly, and can be more difficult to escape from,” says Kerry.
Teens undergoing plastic surgery to appease bullies…
Bullying can have a profound effect on a person’s mental health, especially on a young person, with some teens even been driven to feel they must go under the knife to appease cyber trolls–following unrelenting taunts about their physical appearance. In the US, they’ve reported a growing trend in the amount of teens turning to plastic surgery after being bullied–that’s seen children as young as seven go under the knife.
“Bullying in any form is harmful and will have a negative effect on a person’s mental health, says Clinical and Forensic Psychologist Kerry Watson-Sauchella. Victims of bullying experience dysphoric feelings of sadness, anxiety, humiliation, insecurity, anger, and reduced self-esteem. Long-term effects can include the development of a depressive illness and/or an anxiety related illness and suicidal ideation,” says Kerry.
Read on for Part 2 of our special Cyber Bullying report, including Expert Tips On How To Deal With Cyberbullying…
