Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying

Introduction

What is cyberbullying? According to stopcyberbullying.org, it is “when a child, preteen, or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen, or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones” (para. 1). It has to involve two minors, or at least be instigated by a minor towards another minor. If adults get involved in the bullying, it is no longer cyberbullying; it would then be called cyber-harassment or cyberstalking. Cyberbullying has become a serious issue in the United States, so much that children are committing suicide or worse, murder. Cyberbullying is not specific to one group of people, although transgender children seem to be targeted a lot. One article in particular, “Mom Says Trans Son Was Cyber-Bullied Days Before Suicide,” pays tribute to this cause. Advocate.com, a popular site for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community, explains the tragic story of Kyler Prescott and promotes awareness and acceptance. On May 18th, 2015, in San Diego, California, Kyler committed suicide in his home. Kyler was a 14-year-old transgender victim that started cutting himself after being bullied on the social media site, “Kik.” Other kids that were users of Kik made comments that Kyler should not be alive. What is disturbing is Kyler’s death is the third reported transgender suicide in the San Diego area this year; in April, Tyler took her own life, and Sage committed suicide in March (Advocate.com, 2015).

Kyler is already the 11th reported transgender juvenile suicide nationwide in 2015. The qualitative information provided in the article about Kyler prompted further investigation in cyberbullying and the culture it has created for children and teenagers across the country. Hinduja and Patchin (2010) conducted a quantitative study regarding cyberbullying and suicide. The study “involved approximately 2,000...