First off, I want to thank my good friend Anna, a teen follower of Christ, who provided me with valuable information for this blog post. Thanks, Anna! (Waving to you out there! :)
So, today we're going to talk about cyber-bullying. Just in case you don't know what it means, cyber-bullying is using social media to post rude, negative comments about another girl for the purpose of hurting her. When the targeted girl reads the post, she immediately knows it's about her, although others who read the post may not know who the targeted girl is. For this reason, it's difficult to punish the poster because there is no real proof that the poster was targeting a specific girl.
Cyber-bullying also includes online threats, tweets, and posting any kind of information--including pics or videos--that are meant to hurt, embarrass, or upset someone. Often, these pictures, videos, and rude comments are not removed, even after the targeted person asks the poster to remove them.
Some teens create "fake" or "fun" Instagram accounts that they use only for cyber-bullying. These accounts are called "finsta' accounts and are separate and distinct from their official Instagram accounts. While "finsta" accounts are supposed to be used for good, fun things, too often they are used to post incidents of girl drama or to make rude comments about other girls.
This is so sad! And so wrong!
Perhaps you are a victim of cyber-bullying. Perhaps you've felt firsthand the pain of being publicly embarrassed, harassed, and mocked. If so, what can you do?
1--Tell your parents or another trusted adult that you are being bullied. Many teen girls are afraid to reveal that they are victims of cyber-bullying because they may feel embarrassed. They may also be reluctant to report the bully because they are not sure of the bully's identity or they are afraid of repercussions. But when not confronted, cyber-bullying gets worse, often with tragic results, including suicide. So, don't hesitate! Tell your parents or a trusted teacher or adult friend that you are being bullied.
Some states have laws against cyber-bullying. If the bullying includes harmful threats, report them to your local police who can often track down the bully. Also, report the bullying to the social media platform on which the bullying occurs. Social media platforms have ways of identifying bullies and blocking them.
2--Ignore the cyber-bully's lies about you. Yes! That's exactly what they are: lies designed to discourage you and depress you. You are not who people say you are. You are who God says you are, and God says you are His amazing child, loved and accepted by Him (Read Psalm 139).
3--Pray for the bully. Cyber-bullies bully because deep down, they are insecure. In order to feel important, they hurt other people. They don't realize that hurting another will only hurt them more. Cyber-bullies are acting under the influence of Satan. As a follower of Jesus, you have authority and power over Satan. You can command him to loose his hold on the cyber-bully, and you can pray that the cyber-bully will come to know Jesus as her Savior and Lord.
The Bible says this in 1 Peter 3: 9: "Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it." Ask God to give you the opportunity to do something good for the person who is bullying you. For example, when that person has a birthday, post a Happy Birthday greeting on her FB page or send her a birthday card. If you see her at school, do something nice for her, like offering to help her with a subject with which she may be having difficulty.
If you find that the cyber-bully continues to bully you, then ignore her but continue to pray for her. And always remember that no matter how much you are bullied, the Lord is your Defender. Read this comforting promise in Psalm 18:
How I love you, Lord! You are my defender.
The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe.
I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord!
Now it's your turn: Have you been cyber-bullied? If so, what have you done to handle the situation?
Please share your insights in the box below. Thanks!
Please tell your family and teen friends about this blog and please pass this post on to them. Thank you!
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Please tell your family and teen friends about this blog and please pass this post on to them. Thank you!
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