The Cyber Bullying Epidemic

Bullying has always been an ugly aspect of our childhoods. The majority of us can claim to have been a victim of bullying at least once growing up, whether it was verbal or physical harassment. While some members of our generation may have experienced bullying via AIM (AOL Instant Messenger for those of you who forgot), cyber bullying was not an ordinary form of harassment.

Today, teenagers across the world use cyber bullying as the number one means to torment their peers, with the new added advantage of remaining anonymous.

Nowadays, bullying does not end at school. It is a 24/7, around-the-clock phenomena that leaves victims with no real escape. The anonymity that is now attached to cyber bullying allows for an increased rate of harassment because bullies can hide behind their computer screens and cell phones. The cyber bullying epidemic encompasses students’ lives, whether or not one is directly involved. With feelings of insecurity soaring during middle school and high school years, teens will do just about anything to fit in. With the invention of new apps, even the bullied victims will not delete them because it gives them more of a reason to feel left out if they do. According to dosomething.org, 70% of teens reported seeing bullying online, 58% of kids admitted to intentionally saying hurtful words online, and 75% of students admitted to visiting a website bashing another student.

The case of Rebecca Sedwick exemplifies the very real dangers that can result from excessive cyber bullying. She was a 12-year-old girl in Florida who was bullied to such an extent that it drove her to commit suicide by jumping off of a building. The night before her suicide, she changed her name to “That Dead Girl” on all of her phone applications. She was physically beaten up at school and received a constant flow of text messages telling her to kill herself, asking her why she was still alive, and instructing her to “drink bleach and die.” Even after switching schools to avoid face-to-face bullying and remove contact from her bullies, the cyber bullying pervaded her life until she died. Suicide rates have dramatically increased in teenagers due to the non-stop, invasive cyber bullying victims are subjected to.  

Cyber bullying does not discriminate against anyone, not even the mentally handicapped. Shea Shawhan is an 18-year-old Plano, Texas native who suffered brain complications during birth and now has the mental capacity of an 8-year-old. She received daily text messages such as, “Why are you still here? Clearly no one wants you. You only have special needs friends and you’re ugly and have terrible fashion sense. Honestly your clothes suck.” The texts came from fake numbers created from web apps that allow for anonymity of the bullies. Her case received national attention, with celebrities such as Glenn Beck featuring her on his talk show.

Fortunately, in past weeks, arrests have been made in both the Rebecca Sedwick and Shea Shawhan bullying cases. However, laws regarding cyber bullying are still being drafted and differ state by state. Several important developments have yet to be made in creating fair and just laws to punish those who bully to extreme extents. Yet, one thing state officials can all agree on is the fact that cyber bullying cannot become an accepted part of one’s childhood.