Victimization Through Bullying And Cyberbullying

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In today's digitally dominated environment, the nature of bullying has evolved and adapted to a new landscape. This new landscape allows the bully’s greater access of their victims to grow exponentially. However, not only has the bully’s ability to reach victims grown, but so has the means the bully can use to harass these victim. Often, the victim has little or no recourse to avoid or defend himself or herself from the bullying, thus experiencing emotional and psychological traumas that might arise as a direct result of the bullying. Furthermore, because of the rise of cyberbullying, an increase in stress and anxiety are present in today's youth. This has caused a marked rise in social developmental issues, leading to a reduction of social …show more content…

Before the internet, a healthy home life served as a buffer to any bullying they might experience at school. Nurturing family environments can replace the negative associations of bullies with positive evaluations of peers. This positive input validates positive feelings and supports healthy adolescent development. These abilities to avoid such interactions are more difficult in today's interconnected digital world regardless of how nurturing and loving a family might be. Victimization Through Bullying and Cyberbullying explains that victims are under equipped to combat this trauma. It states “Victims cannot defend themselves easily”(Beltran-Catalan et al. 183). This inability to escape the abuse leads to developmental issues. It stunts the development of relationships, and it prevents healthy emotional and psychological coping mechanisms. “Bullying has some very serious and damaging consequences. Even in adulthood, some victims report negative emotions associated with childhood bullying and depression later in life”(Beltran-Catalan et al. 183). Experiences such as these inhibits the natural progression for the growth of an individual, and without proper guidance or assistance in developing coping mechanisms. If not addressed these, developmental issues will persist into …show more content…

In the past the bullying was at least confined to the physical arena. Even if the psychological effects extended past the physical environment, there was an ability to escape and evade the experience after the required interactions of the day were completed. Author Regina van den Eijnden points out that, “Whereas real-life bullying mainly occurs during school hours and ceases once victims return home, bullying through emails, instant messengers and social network sites (e.g., Facebook) can take place at any given time of the day”(791). Today, the ever-present nature of the internet means that the physical realm is not the only place that bullying can occur. Cyberspace is now fostering an environment for cyberbullying which can consequently result in emotional and psychological trauma. “Results indicate that online victimization is predictive of an increase in later emotional and depressive symptoms and a decrease in life satisfaction later in life” (791). The negative effects of excessively high stress and anxiety that cyberbullying produces can persist into adulthood for many victims causing future developmental and relationship

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