For me, bullying is one of the lowest human behaviours. As a victim of bullying as a child, I am deeply distressed to see anyone else go through the turmoil that occurs because of the actions of another. So, to see the glory of modern technology being used for such villainous purposes is particularly upsetting.
Online bullying is so commonplace today, thanks to the prevalence of Social Media and Online Messaging apps. Let’s face it, we all know it is much easier to be mean when you are not face-to-face with the person in question. Online bullies also rarely face any real consequences of their actions, and often feel that there will be no repercussions to their behaviour. They can hide behind fake accounts and spread hate causing lasting damage to others. Some bullies claim that they were not aware that their behaviour constituted bullying or claim that it was ‘just a joke’, but any act of aggression that aims to make the recipient feel bad about themselves or weak, constitutes bullying.
Verbal and online bullying can be less obvious than traditional physical bullying but teasing, name calling, taunting and any demeaning comments are all ways that the bullies use to get power over you. For many, it is like something out of a slap-stick movie, it is funny and they move on; they forget that words really do hurt!