Cyberbullying

CYBER BULLYING ‘ Demystifying and Deescalating Cyber Bullying’ Barbara Trolley, Ph.D. CRC Connie Hanel, M.S.E.d & Linda Shields, M.S.E.d.

WORKSHOP GOALS
Terminology
Assessment Issues & Protocol
Decision Tree
‘PEAS’ PROGRAM:
Psychological, Educational and Social School Response

CYBER BULLYING IS…
Being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful
material using technological means;
an individual or group that uses
information and communication involving
electronic technologies to facilitate
deliberate and repeated harassment or
threat to an individual or group.
Also known as:
‘ Electronic Bullying’ &
‘ Online Social Cruelty’

CYBER BULLIES’ TECHNOLOGY
E-mail
Cell phones
Pager text messages
Instant messaging
Defamatory personal web sites
Defamatory online personal polling web sites
Chat rooms

DIFFERENCES
BULLYING
DIRECT
Occurs on
school property
Poor relationships
with teachers
Fear retribution
Physical: Hitting, Punching & Shoving
Verbal: Teasing, Name calling & Gossip
Nonverbal: Use of gestures & Exclusion
www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
CYBERBULLYING
ANONYMOUS
Occurs off
school property
Good relationships with teachers
Fear loss of technology privileges
Further under the radar than bullying
Emotional reactions cannot be determined
{McKenna & Bargh, 2004; Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004}

CYBER BULLY CATEGORIES
“ Inadvertent”
Role-play
Responding
May not realize it’s cyber bullying
“ Vengeful Angel”
Righting wrongs
Protecting themselves
“ Mean Girls”
Bored; Entertainment
Ego based; promote own social status
Often do in a group
Intimidate on and off line
Need others to bully; if isolated, stop
“ Power-Hungry”
Want reaction
Controlling with fear
“ Revenge of the Nerds”
(“Subset of Power-Hungry”)
Often Victims of school-yard bullies
Throw ‘cyber-weight’ around
Not school-yard bullies like Power-Hungry & Mean Girls
{Parry Aftab. Esq., Executive Director, WiredSafety.org}

CYBER BULLYING TYPES
“ Flaming’: Online fights using electronic messages with angry and vulgar language
“ Harassment”: Repeatedly sending offensive, rude, and insulting messages
“ Cyber stalking”: Repeatedly sending messages that include threats of harm or are highly intimidating. Engaging in other on-line activities that make a person afraid for his or her own safety
“ Denigration”: ‘Dissing’ someone online. Sending or posting cruel gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships

CYBER BULLYING TYPES
“ Impersonation”: Pretending to be someone else and sending or posting material online that makes that person look bad, gets that person in trouble or danger, or damages that person’s reputation or friendships
“ Outing and Trickery”: Sharing someone’s secret or embarrassing information online. Tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information which is then shared online
“ Exclusion”: Intentionally excluding someone from an on-line group, like a ‘buddy list’
{Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D., Director of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use}

CYBER BULLYING PREVALENCE
Cyber bullying typically starts at about 9 years of age and usually ends after 14 years of age; after 14, it becomes cyber or sexual harassment due to nature of acts and age of actors {Aftab}
Affects 65-85% of kids in the core group directly or indirectly through close friends (Aftab)

Aftab’s statistics:
90% of middle school students they polled had their feelings hurt online
65% of their students between 8-14 have been involved directly or indirectly in a cyber bullying incident as the cyber bully, victim or friend
50% had seen or heard of a website bashing of another student
75% had visited a website bashing
40% had their password stolen and changed by a bully (locking them out of their own account) or sent communications posing as them
Problems in studies: not assessing the ‘real thing’
i.e. Only 15% of parent polled knew what cyber bullying was

In the 2003-04 school year, i-SAFE America surveyed students
from across the country on a new topic: Cyber Bullying
It is a topic that not many adults were talking about but one that is all too familiar with students.
42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have had it happen more than once.
35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 have had it happen more than once.
21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages.
58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out of 10 say it has happened more than once.
53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online. More than 1 in 3 have done it more than once.
58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online.
Based on 2004 i-SAFE survey of 1,500 students grades 4-8 http://www.isafe.org

CYBER BULLYING STATISTICS *Taken from an i-SAFE America survey of students nationwide.

CYBER BULLYING LEGAL ISSUES
Who May Be Involved:
School Counselor
Principal
Resource Officer
Police
Attorney (School or Private)
Superintendent
Internet Service Provider
General (Willard, 2005)
School Limits:
Schools have policies against bullying
Civil Law Limits:
Cyber bullying may also meet standards for ‘institutional torts’ (wrongdoings)
Defamation
Material that Constitutes an Invasion of Privacy
(1 st Amendment)
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress

Criminal Law Limits
The following kinds of speech can lead to arrest & prosecution:
Making threats of violence to people or their property
Engaging in coercion
Making obscene or harassing phone calls
Harassment or stalking
Hate or bias crimes
Creating or sending sexually explicit images of teens
Sexual exploitation
Taking a photo of someone in place where privacy expected
General (Willard, 2005)

‘ Educator’s Guide To Cyber bullying:
Addressing the Harm of On-line Social Cruelty’
(Nancy Willard, 2005)
Law Enforcement should be contacted if
educator becomes aware of:
Death threats or threats of other forms of violence to a person or property
Excessive intimidation or extortion
Threats or intimidation that involve any form of bias or discrimination
Any evidence of sexual exploitation

‘ Offsite Internet Activities and Schools’
(Copyright 2005 Parry Aftab, Esq. All rights reserved)
Conflicting decisions in regard to school’s authority with respect to cases under state and federal jurisdictions
School should seek legal consult often beyond regular school attorney (e.g., a constitutional or cyber-free speech lawyer)
‘ Within School Authority’ Guidelines:
Clear-cut threats
Clearly disruptive of school discipline
encouraged to visit website; student accesses or works on
website in school
School owned website or school-sponsored project website
Any proof of in-school impact (e.g., materials on grounds; psychosocial, behavioral or academic impact on others)
Proof the student’s website or harassment has had impact on
staff
(e.g., quits, leave of absence, medical TX for emotional issues)- otherwise seek outside legal recourse

‘ What Everyone Needs to Know About Cyber Bullying’
(Aftab)
Many cases of child cyber bullying, like adult
counterparts of cyber-harassment, not criminal
Law Enforcement needs to be aware of:
Difference between annoying and dangerous communications
How to investigate a cyber crime
How to obtain information from an ISP

CURRENT ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMS
Traditional Program Concerns
( Fleming, Towey, Limber, Gross, Rubin, Wright & Anderson, 2002)
Zero Tolerance & “3 Strikes & Out”
Negatively impacts on willingness to report
Casts large net
Bullies need pro-social role models
Anger Management, Skill Building, Empathy Building, Self-Esteem Enhancement
Group members serve as role models & reinforcers of bullying, anti-social
behavior
Bullies don’t need self-esteem boosted
Mediation
Appropriate in cases of equal power, not bully & victim
Parallels possible in doing mediation in domestic violence
Appropriate message to bullies: Your behavior is inappropriate, won’t be
tolerated
Message to victim: No one deserves to be bullied and we’re going to try to
stop it

CURRENT ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMS
Articles:
“ Zero Tolerance Policies Encourage ‘Lockdown Environment’ in Schools”(Fuentes, 2003)
“ One Strike and You’re Out of School” (Joiner, 2004)
Youthful suicide, financial ruin, families torn apart for minor infractions.: How post Columbine hysteria is wrecking lives
“ Every Child is Worth Saving” ( http:// endzeroltolerance.com )
Additional Lists of Articles & Commentaries
‘ News” ( http:// www.jlc.org/EZT/News/default/html?id =Jan05 )
Summary
Children taught to not fight back
Frequently have adults such as teachers ‘protect’ them
Those being bullied often want friends or are fearful so don’t ‘narc’
Having been bullied, may have poor self-esteem
All involved in cyber bullying not caught, assessed or disciplined
Adults may be seemingly unresponsive
… ..retaliation on-line

CURRENT CYBER BULLYING PROGRAMS & RESONSES
(Aftab, PowerPoint communication)
PROGRAM OFFERINGS:
Teenangels.org: trains teens & preteens to be part of solution
WiredKids and WiredTeens” programs for schools and communities
Wiredsafety.org: one to one hotline and multiple resources
Videos, Lesson Plans and Activities
Parent and Community Programs
Law enforcement training and briefings
Local county level summits on cyber bullying
Assistance on technological software & tools to help
‘

CURRENT CYBER BULLYING PROGRAMS & RESPONSES
What Everyone Needs to Know About Cyber bullying’ (Aftab)
Education of Children:
All actions have consequences
Cyber bullying hurts
They are just being used and manipulated by cyber bully
Cyber bully and accomplices often become the target of cyber bullying themselves
Care about others and stand up for what’s right

Comprehensive Plan (Willard, 2005)
Schools
Policies concerning misuse of technology
Evaluate how staff is and can more effectively monitor Internet use
Parents
Discuss cyber bullying
Supervise and increase effective monitoring of Internet use
Since more adults supervise, more children will hide
activities, strategies needed to change social norms
in these on-line works, empower the victim with
knowledge how to prevent & respond, & to
discourage bullies from engaging in such activities

Schools should:
Focus on values of kindness and respectful human relations
Enhancement of empathic awareness
Develop effective problem solving skills
Empowerment of bystanders

CURRENT CYBER BULLYING ASSESSMENT (Willard, 2005)
Specific Step Wise Plan:
1 Engage in participatory planning {Integrate into Safe Schools. District Technology Awareness; Non-school Participants}
2 Conduct needs assessment {Assessment available at Center for Safe & Responsible Internet Use}
3 Ensure that an effective anti--bullying program in place {core not authoritarian values; predictive empathy; peer norms vs. bullying; peer intervention skills, effective administrative responses}
4 Review policies & Procedures {Monitoring, report box, internet & other technological pp}
5 Conduct Professional Development {key individual sophisticated in the area; all administrators, librarians, counselors and technology educators basic understanding; all other staff alerted to existence, how to detect}
6 Provide Parent Education {prevention, detection & intervention strategies; alert child to potential consequences of school discipline, loss of family account, civil litigation, criminal prosecution}
7 Evaluate {prevention & intervention programs}

Intervention Strategies for Cyber bullying Directed at Student
1 -Save the evidence
2 -Conduct a threat assessment {if cyber bullying poses substantial disruption, violence or suicide concerns; contact law enforcement if threats of violence}
3 -Assesss response options {direct school nexus may warrant school disciplinary action; if off campus and not substantial threat, no disciplinary action but help victim}
4 -Identify the Perpetrators {technical assistance; assess validity of person’s identity; offer technical assistance to parents}
5 -Supprt the victim {even if no disciplinary action, offer support and assistance to victim and parents; offer counseling mediation, technical assistance; direct to community resources}
6 -Provide guidance on how to remove the speech
7 -Seek to use informal resolution strategies {contact perpetrator parents, offer assistance, suggest legal consultation; offer counseling, mediation in school; recognize the cyber bully is a hurt kid and try to help both victim and perpetrator
Intervention Strategies for Cyber bullying Directed at Staff
1 - Assess Type of Speech
2 - Take action based on assessment

CURRENT CYBER BULLYING ASSESSMENT
What Everyone Needs to Know About Cyber bullying’ (Aftab)
Assessment to differentiate between ‘rude communications’ and ‘cyber bullying’:
1- Kind of Threats
2- Frequency of Threat
3- Source of Threats
4- Nature of the Threats
… The more frequent, the greater the threat, the mention of more dangerous methods & the involvement of third parties tends to increase the seriousness of the threat
Knowing the cyber bully may increase or decrease the threat

ASSESSMENT TREE {‘PEAS’ PROGRAM} Assessment Cyber Bully Incident Report Complete report & collect evidence Domains Family School Social Multiple Factors Risk vs. Resiliency Informants Parents Teachers Students Administrators Methods Interview Collateral info Assess. Forms Standardized Instr. (SAVRY) Dispositions Contacts Parents Administration Police Disciplinary Detention Suspension Expulsion Arrest Therapeutic PEAS Program Family Support Ctr. Outside Counseling Residential Treatment Ongoing Prevention

CYBER BULLYING ASSESSMENT {‘PEAS’ PROGRAM}
ASSESSMENT:
Interview & Evidence Gathering
Collateral Information/Evidence Collection
Cyber Bully Assessments
Student Form
School Counselor Form
Standardized Instruments {SAVRY}
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DISPOSITION:
Disciplinary Therapeutic
Detention Outside Counseling
Suspension ‘PEAS’ Program:
Expulsion Psychological Educational Social School Response

‘ PEAS’ PROGRAM Psychological-Educational-And-Social
‘ P’-PSYCHOLOGICAL:
1. Outside Counseling Referral
2. Family Support Center Referral
3. In-School Counseling
4. Anger Management group
5. Peer Mediation & Conflict Resolution {cyber bullies}
6. Apology & Impact Statement
7. ‘On-Line Safe Box’

‘ E’-EDUCATIONAL:
1. CURRICULUM INFUSION
ELA Assignments-
Movie Documentary
Book/Movie Review/Report
Poem/Short Story/Song
Writing a play/paper
Watch Movie ‘Inbox’ and discuss impact/develop program
Social Studies
Review of People in History who were bullied
Mock trial regarding injustices/victimization
Technology
Use/Misuses
Safety Review
Develop Positive Websites
Art
Anti-Cyber bullying posters
‘ Cyber Bullying Curriculum’ (Nancy Willard)

‘ E’-EDUCATIONAL: Continued
2. PEER MATCHING:
Higher/lower grade reading, tutor
Higher/lower grade play production
Higher/lower grade cyber bully {‘recovered’/’charged’}
Pen Pals
Extracurricular Activities (match cyber bullyer/ee)
3. SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES:
High school student small group discussion
on impact/consequences of cyber bullying/being cyber bullied
Lawyer to discuss possible legal consequences/
Former student, possibly at the high school, involved in cyber bullying, and/or legally charged for cyber bullying
Current Teacher/Administrator/Parent involved in cyber bullying

‘ E’-EDUCATIONAL: Continued
4. DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
5. PARENT EDUCATION:
Uses/Misuses of Technology
Supervision Strategies
6. SCHOOL STAFF IN-SERVICES:
Types
Assessment
Responses
Program Evaluation

‘ S’-SOCIAL:
1. EXTRACURRICULAR/PROJECTS:
Intramural/Projects between Classes Beyond Sports
Homework Completion & Pizza Party
Fundraising & Award/Rewards
School Socials
Plays on Topic
Art contest
School/Community Newspaper article
Visit to Foster care/geriatric settings
2. DRESS POLICY:
Dress Code - Decrease Comparisons & Possibility of ‘Deviant Dress’
3. PEER MATCHING:
Higher/lower grade reading, tutor
Higher/lower grade play production
Higher/lower grade cyber bully {‘recovered’/’charged’}
Pen Pals
Extracurricular Activities (match cyber bullyer/ee)

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
A Need For:
A better understanding of what cyber bullying is
Addressing appropriate computer protocol and specifically cyber bullying via the schools’ clearly defined and systematically implemented AUP so that schools can provide intervention even in instances that occur outside of school
Clearer delineation of school responsibility in responding to incidents, especially off school grounds
Clearer school policies and action plans; increased continuity in implementing school responses
Increased assessment of incidents and those involved
Decision making regarding the cyber bully and the individual being cyber bullied based on:
A decision tree protocol
Assessment process
Systematic, therapeutic responses, not isolated disciplinary reactions
Integration of educational, psycho-social interventions
Inclusion of prevention measures that are comprehensive and systemic in approach
Communication among students, counselors, teachers, administrators, parents & community
Individualized responses, with understanding that a wide degree of variation exists in motivation
Change needs to come from all levels and grades: Individual
Classroom
School culture
Victimization often occurs with both the person being cyber bullied and the cyber bully
Important to ‘not throw the baby out with the bathwater’…
Our children are not disposable!

THE END

Cyberbullying

by damarissepulveda on Jun 19, 2010

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