Cyber-bullied Girls: Issues Beyond The Beehive

Recently, we discussed the issues regarding teens and technology, among which cyber-bullying was mentioned. Cyber-bullying has become a big issue among children and teenagers in recent years. "Cyber-bullying is when someone repeatedly harasses, mistreats, or makes fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronic devices."  Specific types of cyber-bullying found in studies are: mean or hurtful comments (13.7%) and rumors spread (12.9%) online continue to be among the most commonly-cited. Data shows that the higher amount of victims are females. This means that girls, both teenage or younger, are more likely to be bullied online than their male counterparts. (Hinduja & Patchim, 2010)


Now, let’s look at a cyber-bullying phenomenon: Girl-on-girl cyber-bullying.

A new issue has been observed more recently at schools and neighborhoods, as “[t]he type of cyber-bullying tends to differ by gender; girls are more likely to spread rumors while boys are more likely to post hurtful pictures or videos.” (Cyber-bullying Research Center, 2010)

Mental health professionals are now starting to observe girl-on-girl cyber-bullying situations, where as before -in the non electronic era- it was mostly done directly, by girl cliques against their socially weaker victim. In these new cases the use of media has provided for easier ways to do this:

Teens & Technology: What Parents Need To Know

It’s catching. 

Like an STD, it spreads quickly, has an awful burning sensation and stays with you log after you’ve treated. It has occasional flare ups that much like Hester Prynne’s Scarlet Letter, it announces to the world how reckless you were in your youth. The harm it causes differs from person to person, but one thing is true for all who have it: it never goes away and the damage is permanent. It strikes the young and old, from your neighbors, your coworkers or your children. It even happens to celebrities from Vanessa Hudgens and Blake Lively and most recently Anthony Weiner.

What’s this new plague spreading around the world? Sexting: the act of taking sexually provocative picture of yourself and sending them out to people on you contact list. And what sector of the population is more at risk? Children and Teenagers.

Children (yes, children) and teenagers are at a higher risk of partaking in this activity, and of suffering a variety of consequences. From public exposure of (and to) intimate images, to depression, anxiety, and cyberbullying, the consequences are harsh regardless of the age.

Children and adolescents, developmentally speaking, are in the process of growing up physically and mentally. Their brains are also developing and processing the immense amount of stimuli they’re exposed to. Television, radio, Internet, video games, cell phones. They are also beginning to deal with the abstract concept of consequences. This means that while they can figure out what’s the danger behind an action, they have yet to fully process that such action could affect them directly. Some parents often complain about their teens not measuring risks and acting without thinking. In pop psychology we often hear the term “Superman Complex”, which is not far off from reality. “That looks like trouble, but it’s not going to happen to me!” is a common train of thought.