How to spot if your child could be the victim of cyberbullying.
Usually, the parents are the last to know that their children are being bullied online. Many children keep this secret from their families and suffer in silence due to the embarrassment and shame involved.
Signs that your child might be the victim of cyberbullying include:
- Your child’s behaviour changes suddenly. She may exhibit symptoms of depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and fear.
- She will struggle to sleep at night.
- She may withdraw socially and stop participating in pastimes she used to enjoy.
- Your child may spend less time on her mobile phone and computer.
- Your child seems stressed when receiving a message.
- Your child may begin to self-harm. 18% of youth reported that they had self-harmed at least once. This impacts 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 10 boys. (Monto, McRee and Deryck, 2018).
The most tragic outcome of cyberbullying is where the victim can’t cope and eventually commits suicide. 25% of cyberbullying victims admitted to considering suicide to end their pain. (YouGov, 2015).
