Resource Of The Month / Question
Published: July 1, 2009
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Where can I go to get information and help with cyberbullying?
Signed: July 2009: Where Can I Go For Help With Cyberbullying Issues?
Dear July 2009: Where Can I Go For Help With Cyberbullying Issues?,
Cyberbullying is a serious issue that affects many children and teens. With so much time spent on the net by kids today, face-to-face bullying has spread to the use of taunting and bullying tactics online. Teens being bullied online can easily feel depressed, confused and hopeless about what to do, and very isolated in what they are going through.
TeenHealthFX thinks it is very important for teens to have resources at hand if they are dealing with any kind cyberbullying. FX also thinks that it is important for bystanders to have some ideas of what they can do if they know of someone who is being bullied, and for those doing the bullying to have a full understanding of the impact they could be having on another human being (as well as a full understanding of the legal implications of what they are doing).
So if you are being bullied, a bystander of bullying, or someone who is cyberbullying another person, please consider the resources below:
A Book on Bullying and Cyberbullying:
- Letters to a Bullied Girl: Messages of Healing and Hope, by Olivia Gardner. Olivia Gardner, a teenager from northern California, dealt with bullying at school and was cyber-bullied by peers for over 2 years. The news of this bullying reached two sisters, Emily and Sarah Buder, in a neighboring town – and the two started a letter-writing campaign to help bring some comfort and support to Olivia. In Letters to a Bullied Girl, the three share an inspiring selection of letters that arrived from all over the Unites states from people who were bullied, themselves, or were bystanders to terrible situations of bullying. This book provides advice and hope to those who have dealt with being bullied and hopefully provides some useful perspective to those who have ever bullied others.
Websites on Cyberbullying:
- Wired Safety Group: Stop Cyberbullying
- Stop Cyberbullying. A website run by Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin, two experts in criminal justice.
- i-Safe.org. Non-profit foundation endorsed by the U.S. Congress that is dedicated to protecting the online experiences of young people.
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has a NetSmartz Workshop on cyberbullying, as well as NetSmartz Teens.
A Resource for Victims of Website Sexual Exploitation:
- Katiesplace.org. A website for young victims of website sexual exploitation. This website is available for victims, as well as to provide support and guidance for the loved ones of victims of internet sexual exploitation.
Resources for Parents and Teachers:
If you are being bullied, it is important for you to talk to your parents and any other adults who could be of help to you. If this is unfamiliar territory for the adults you speak to, you can always recommend the following books so that they can learn more about this issue and how to be there for you in a helpful and supportive manner:
- The Bully, The Bullied, and the Bystander, by Barbara Coloroso. This book is aimed at helping parents and teachers learn how to stop the cycle of violence.
- Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying, by Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin. Two experts in criminal justice have written a book to help adults understand the impact of cyberbullying, what it entails and what practical solutions can be employed to address the situation.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
The highest Chlamydia rates occurred among women ages 15 to 19 and 20 to 24.
