5 steps to help your child cope with cyber bullying

MUMBAI, INDIA: Cyber bullying has become a serious issue. Every fourth child aged between 12 and 17 has experienced cyber bullying in one form or another, experts note.

Although the Internet is a virtual network, not all threats can be handled by using computer technology alone. Kaspersky Lab has worked with child psychologists from across the globe, and compiled a list of 5 recommendations about how to support a victim of online bullying.

The recommendations are listed below.

1. Be right by their side, with no preconceptions, no judgements, just loving and acceptance: At this stage, children need to hear that no matter what happens you will be there to support them.

2. Do not down play the incident: In the emotionally vulnerable state children will not be capable of rational thought, so let them know that you understand the seriousness of the situation and that their pain is justified.

3. It is not yet time for rational discussion: Do not suggest that the child may have provoked the situation, even if it is true. It may create a barrier and lead your child to believe that you don’t empathize.

4. Genuine empathy is needed: It is important that your child understands that you feel what they feel. Explain that you have faced similar challenges – maybe not on the Internet, but face-to-face - and that it was hard. Don’t suggest that you suffered more or that you found the strength to cope on your own. Say that what you really wanted at that moment was to have someone to listen, to understand, to be with you.

5. Talk about the incident: Do not second-guess what your child is going to say. Let them take the lead and tell you about it in their own words. It is important that they offload this burden themselves.

Caron Mullen, Cyber Psychologist, states, “A strategy to support the child's emotional state is very important. The long-term objective is to help build the child's resilience, enabling them to cope with problematic social experiences without psychological harm. But the first and most important step is for the parent to gain the child's trust so the burden can be shared, and together, they can work on developing a plan of action to deal with the situation."

Lisa Wright, Co-founder, anti-cyber bullying educational initiative Webiket.com, comments on how to deal with cyber bullying: “An ongoing approach of assessing the situation and devising strategies to deal with both the cyber bullying problem and your child’s emotional state must follow.”

Alexander Erofeev, Chief Marketing Officer, Kaspersky Lab, remarks, “As part of the campaign against cyber bullying, Kaspersky Lab has launched a new interactive portal, wordscansave.me that contains information about the issue and guides parents through indirect signs of cyber bullying in their children. The portal helps parents understand how important it is to be close to children and support them with the right words.”