Cyberbullying on the rise, parents can help

The internet and social media keep us connected, but that connection can also be the setting for harmful behavior like bullying. Longtime psychologist, Dr. Kathy Seifert, tells 47 ABC that she’s seen a rise in cyberbullying.

“What I see the increase in is the cyberbullying and so they have more opportunity to send out a message to large groups of other teenagers or children and can really do a lot of damage,” says Dr. Seifert.

While face-to-face bullying often happens on school grounds, during school hours, cyberbullying doesn’t have to play by those rules. Online bullies can continue to harass their victims anywhere, anytime. That’s why residents like Lacie Yuhas believe parents have a responsibility.

“Parents should be monitoring what their kids are doing on these computers. The parents should be paying attention to the screens they’re in, the people they’re talking to,” explains Yuhas.

Dr. Seifert adds, “Parents talk with their children everyday a few minutes every day to make sure the lines of communication are open, so that the parent knows what’s going on at home and in school and so the child feels comfortable to report this is what’s going on with me.”

But even if bullying happens outside of school, it doesn’t mean education officials and students don’t play important roles. Preston Lewis is the Indian River School District Administrator for Student Services. He’s seen first hand how cyberbullying can affect the community.

Lewis explains, “Things that happen in the community with cyberbullying, student to student, comes back into our school the next morning.”

Lewis says to confront the issue they implemented a bully prevention policy,
part of it outlining the various ways students can report bullying. He says it seems to be working,  more students than ever before are reporting bullying, which can lead to counseling for victims as well as disciplinary action for bullies.