(This was contributed by our online contributor Hilary Smith)
A recent study discovered cyberbullying rates have tripled! This means that 87 percent of our children have either been targeted or witnessed digital cruelty in some form. This is heartbreaking, because high statistics like those mean our children are probably encountering cyberbullying firsthand.
We all understand how cyberbullying affects a child in today’s social media driven society. Headlines and newscasts abound about the impact bullying behaviors can have on our teens, often ending tragically. However, hidden behind all the numbers and wrenching stories is a secret not many people talk about when it comes to cyberbullying: the increased bullying and violence facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer teens (LGBTQ).
Cyberbullies And LGBTQ Teens: The Facts
It’s no secret that the transition to adulthood is difficult and can be filled with bad skin, cracking voices, awkward growth spurts, and teenage angst. For many children wrestling with sexual or gender identities this stage of life can be problematic for many obvious reasons. This can isolate and signal out children who associate as LGBTQ which leads to bullying and violence.
Being perceived as different is the last thing a typical teen wants, but when they come out as LGBTQ, peers often don’t know how to healthily interpret this statement. Surprisingly, half of our children don’t even realize the discriminatory language they use is offensive or how it negatively affects LGBTQ teens.
This negligence and the anonymity social media offers creates the perfect storm for cyberbullying, especially when research from GLSEN “found that LGBT youth spend more time online than youth in general”. This demographic is taking advantage of the resources available online to make friends, gather information about sexually transmitted diseases, and political activities than their peer counterparts.
Afterall, we know most bully victims are targeted when they stand out from the crowd or are perceived as weaker. Our LGBTQ sons and daughters are three times more likely than their peers to be targeted by bullies. To help put this into perspective, we have included the following data from BullyingStatistics.org:
- 42 percent of LGBTQ teens experiencing cyberbullying in some form.
- 25 percent have had it happen more than once
- 35 percent have received online threats
- 58 percent of our kids have been mentioned cruelly online either to them or on another person’s post
- 33 percent experience online sexual harassment
- 27 percent of LGBTQ adolescents do not feel safe online
5 Actionable Tips For Parents To Help Protect Our LGBTQ Teens From Cyber Bullying Risks
Teens who are targeted by cyberbullies are impacted far beyond the glow of the computer screen. The data and evidence all point to lower self-esteem, dropping grades, wavering mental health, increased anxiety, and even heightened thoughts of suicide or self harm. Unfortunately, our LGBTQ teens are ideal candidates for cyberbullying and parents need to have the right tools at hand to handle the situation and protect themselves.
To help empower our children against cyberbullying, consider implementing the following suggestions:
- Check our own reactions toward LGBTQ children. Initially their declaration for a different lifestyle might be shocking, but we have a tremendous influence on our child’s mental and physical health.Be supportive and talk openly about problems or concerns they express. By being involved we can be watchful for indications of bullying or violence.
- If you suspect bullying, depression, or violence step in immediately. Don’t allow your child to suffer through this alone. Seek help from school personnel or other adults (doctors, counselors, or police) in the community.
- If cyberbullying is becoming an issue, read all social media and text messages TOGETHER. Words hurt. Offer your child a shoulder to cry on and help document ALL cruel messages either with a screenshot, photo, or save onto a file. This will enable you to intervene and get help before the situation spirals out of control.
- Ignore all cruel messages. Responding only feeds the cyberbullies ego and might increase the attacks.
- Monitor a child’s Smartphone and digital devices. 70 percent of teens take measures to hide their online activity from us. This can turn into serious problems if a child is being tormented. Know a child’s passwords or use software to track a child’s digital footprint and location without taking their devices away.
How do you help LGBTQ teens protect themselves against cyberbullying?
Originally posted 2016-03-14 16:56:57.
