Cyberbullying .One in four children aged 12 to 17 has experienced cyberbullying in one way or another*. The consequences can be serious. 
Children become withdrawn and secretive, their school performance drops and they may become aggressive, show symptoms of depression or even be prone to self-harm.
If children are already facing such a situation, there is a lot that parents can do to offer their support at the right time and start a conversation about the problem. More and more parents need to be aware of what cyberbullying is, how to recognize its early signs and how to deal with it.
Although the Internet is a virtual network, it is impossible to deal with all its threats using computer technology alone. Some things simply cannot be prevented or banned – and cyberbullying is one of them. However, the fact that we cannot always protect children from this threat does not mean that we cannot help them. Kaspersky Lab is working with child psychologists from around the world to gather advice on how to support a child who has been a victim of cyberbullying.
Lisa Wright, co-founder of Webiket.com, an educational initiative against cyberbullying, comments on how to deal with it: “Remember that establishing trust and engaging in an open discussion early on is the first step in addressing cyberbullying. It should be an ongoing approach, assessing the situation and developing strategies to address both the cyberbullying problem and your child’s emotional state.”
For these cases, parents can follow the following tips:
- Be there for your children, without prejudice or criticism, but with love and acceptance. At this stage, children need to hear that no matter what has happened or what they have done, you will be there to support them.
- Don't downplay the incident. At the moment, this is the most important thing in your child's life. In their emotionally vulnerable state, they won't be able to think rationally. So, you need to make it clear to them that you understand the seriousness of the situation and that their pain is justified.
- This is not the time for rational discussion yet. Don't imply that your child may have caused this situation, even if that is true. This can create barriers and lead your child to believe that you don't understand.
- Real empathy is essential. It is important for your child to understand that you feel what they are feeling. Explain that you have faced similar challenges – perhaps not online, but in person – and that it was difficult. Don’t imply that you suffered more or that you found the strength to deal with it on your own. Tell them that what you really wanted at that moment was to have someone to listen to you, to understand you, to be with you.
- Only when you have gained your child’s trust – and this may take time and should not be rushed – can you start talking about the incident. Don’t anticipate what your child is going to say. Let children come forward and tell you about the incident in their own words. It is important that they free themselves of this burden.
Summing up the advice, Caron Mullen, MSc, Cyberpsychologist, said: “ Cyberbullying is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. A strategy to support the child’s emotional state is very important. In the short term, there are practical tips to help a child even at their worst, in a positive way, without resorting to actions that may exacerbate the problem. The long-term goal is to ‘build resilience’ in the child, so that they can deal with problematic social experiences without psychological harm. But the first and most important step for the parent is to gain the child’s trust, so that the burden is shared and they can take action together to deal with a situation.”
In relation to the above, Alexander Erofeev, Chief Marketing Officer of Kaspersky Lab, commented: “Words, sincere words of love and support, can help. This is the main point that we want to emphasize in our fight against cyberbullying. And this is not just our opinion. It is something that is shared by many psychologists worldwide, who are participating in our campaign. Cyberbullying exists wherever there is access to the Internet, that is, all over the planet. So, we want parents around the world to know how to manage this problem correctly.”
As part of the campaign against cyberbullying, Kaspersky Lab has created a new interactive portal, called Words Can Save, which contains information on the topic and helps parents recognize indirect signs of bullying in their children. The website wordscansave.me helps parents understand how important it is to be close to children and support them with the right words.
* Source: Statistics from NetChildrenGoMobile
