In 2010, a Rutgers University student, Tyler Clement, committed suicide from jumping off a bridge after being bullied online about his homosexuality, after a viral video landed in the wrong hands and was posted on Facebook and Twitter. A similar story of suicide happened to a 14 year old by the name Jamey Rodemeyer. Over the years, cyber bullying has become a major issue among young Americans today. Some students are even leaving school. Recently, a Baltimore high school freshman, Amber Cole, faced similar online bullying as Tyler and Jamey, when a video of her was found performing a sexual act on a fellow student behind her school. The video’s publication forced Amber Cole to change schools.
According to stopcyberbullying.com, the term cyber bullying means “a preteen or a child is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, teen, preteen using the internet.” Although many activist sites, like stopcyberbullying.com, are trying to prevent bullying online; there is still little being done from the public to put an end to cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is becoming a criminal act, taking the lives of many.
In an interview, two Old Westbury students told their thoughts about cyber bullying and what they feel should be done. “How do I fell about cyber bullying?” Cristina Santos, an Old Westbury sophomore stated. “Personally, I cannot believe that this is still an issue. I remember this happening in junior high school and it was such a big deal. The ‘popular’ children in school were being bullied the most and they would bully those who they thought were beneath them. I feel like this really needs to stop and that people of ages need to grow up.”
Statistics have shown that on average two million people are being bullied everyday online. Out of those two million, eight percent commit suicide, the remaining 92 percent either move to another school or tell their parents and file legal charges against their enemies.
Junior Christiana Johnson had a strong comment about the issue, “Cyber bullying targets those that are insecure about themselves…,” she continued to state, “They are vulnerable and less likely to reach out for help to express the problems that they might have. Sometimes, victims know they are doing something wrong, but do not have the courage to admit it and be honest about something that is not acceptable. Cyber bullying is effective when [the] victim does not have a good relationship with those around them outside of the internet. They do not trust in real people and turn online. Their voice maybe at least heard and possibly understood. It is very sad.”
Many people would agree with Santos and Johnson that cyber bullying is sad. However, why hasn’t anyone taken a stronger action to put an end to it? Why can’t anyone be safe to walk around this society without a fear of being seen online or a comment seen online about them? There no logical answers to what should be done but only smaller action to change this silent killer.