Cyber Bullying

Are you, or is someone you know, being ‘cyberbullied’?

Cyber bullying can happen to any of us, it is very hurtful and distressing and must be taken seriously by all concerned.

Some kinds of cyber bullying are criminal offences, such as harassment or threats, these should be reported directly to the police on 101 and the offender will be dealt with accordingly. However, it is important to remember that bullying can be harmful even when it falls short of breaking the law, and the police are not necessarily the most appropriate people to help.

If you feel you are being cyberbullied, it is important to let someone else know, do not suffer in silence.  If you’re a young person, then speak to an adult, ideally a parent or teacher.  Remember that many people might not understand how your social networks and apps actually work, so try to explain clearly what is happening and how it affects you.

Remember:

• You don’t have to accept online bullying
• If situations online become hostile or provocative don’t respond to them, log off and surf elsewhere
• You can block people who harass or abuse you
• If someone threatens or harasses you online you should take a screen grab or copy of what has been said
• Social networks have policies about dealing with inappropriate messages and you can report issues directly to them

Learn how to use your security settings to restrict access to your social media profiles to only those friends who you trust, and remember that anything you post online may well last forever, even if you later delete it from your profile.

You can download Lancashire's young person’s app WHAY which offers free resources on a range of matters including bullying, mental health, knife crime and sex & relationships.