SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – A United Nations survey shows a global rise in cyberbullying, with two-thirds of children worldwide reporting an increase in online harassment. As the school year begins, local experts are warning that the consequences extend well beyond the victim.
Health and legal risks for students
Kimberly McGuire, Executive Director of Student Support Services for the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, said the impact on victims can be severe.
“Ultimately it could lead to potentially to depression, anxiety,” McGuire said. “There can be physical symptoms such as saying the student has a headache or they have a stomach ache.”
Legal issues related to bullying
Students who engage in bullying also face potential legal consequences. Charges brought against students in bullying cases have included harassment, assault and battery, child pornography and stalking.
Judge Tarlika Nunez-Navarro said parents are not immune from legal exposure.
“Parents are responsible for their children until they turn 18 and it’s no longer acceptable for a parent to turn a blind eye or what we call willful negligence, it’s the duty of the parents to govern their child,” Nunez-Navarro said.
She also cautioned students that digital records are not erasable.
“Deleted messages are never deleted messages, there is no such thing as deleted when we are talking about the court system,” Nunez-Navarro said.
Prevention starts with communication
Nunez-Navarro said open communication between parents and children is the first step in prevention. She recommends parents use child safety locks and regularly monitor what children view and post online.
“I think that you really have to communicate very well with your children, and children have to understand that there are consequences for what they do online, the messages they post, what they say on social media, and it really is forever, it doesn’t go away,” Nunez-Navarro said.
She also urged students to consider how their behavior affects others.
“Your behavior has consequences, and I think it’s important for you to understand that you have to treat others the way you want to be treated,” Nunez-Navarro said.
McGuire said speaking up is critical for victims.
“Bullying is about a power differential, right, and by maintaining silence, that allows that power differential to grow,” McGuire said.
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