Island-based Cyberbully resources are available now and more to come

While the provincial government is in the beginning stages of developing a strategy to further equip Island youth with tools to protect themselves from cyberbullying, some Island-based resources intended to help address the issue are available to Island teens, caregivers and educators today.

One resource is the CyberSafe CARE website launched by the Island’s Interministerial Women’s Secretariat in 2020.

Director Michelle Harris-Genge said, the site is intended to support educators and parents looking for reliable information.

“As caregivers we love our children and the youth we take care of but nobody knows everything,” she said adding misinformation about how to effectively address cyberbullying is also common.

“It’s not about shame or guilt,” she said, adding negative outcomes can occur even to those who have a wealth of knowledge and resources, it’s about making trustworthy, relevant and accurate information accessible so that parents and caregivers can as well prepared as possible to support the next generation.

“It’s intended to be empowering,” she said.

Cyberbullying can take the form of insulting, humiliating or threatening texts, emails, or instant messages, according to the website. Other examples listed include posting or sharing embarrassing pictures online. It can be creating a group, website, or chat with the intent of making fun of others or excluding someone from an online group.

“It can be scary,” Ms Harris-Genge said noting, parents can feel a little lost helping young people address cyberbullying, considering it’s not an issue all parents would have been familiar with when they were teens.

According to a Statistics Canada study, 1 in 4 Canadians between the ages of 12 and 17 have experienced cyberbullying.

Some groups report bullying at a higher rate.

Half of non-binary teens reported being cyberbullied. Teens who identified as having a same gender attraction had a significantly higher likelihood of being cyberbullied at 33 per cent and so did First Nations teens at 34 per cent.

While cyberbullying is not always illegal, in some cases it can escalate into criminal activity such as criminal harassment, uttering threats, intimidation, extortion, sextortion, defamatory libel, and others said Kings District RCMP Staff Sergeant Mike Robinson.

Because of this he said, it’s important for parents and young people to be aware of risks, laws and to trust their gut.

If anyone suspects cyberbullying has - or will - escalate into criminal behaviour, reaching out to police for advice or action can be a useful option.

Hannah Jones works with Community Legal Information and has been spearheading a federally funded project to develop and provide cyberbullying awareness workshops to young people in grades seven to nine.

“We’re really hopeful with the information we’re sharing that youth will have some tools and resources to use as they go forward,” she said.

The workshop was launched in February and has been attended by over 700 Island students to date.

Through the workshops youth go over what cyberbullying, cyberviolence, luring and sextortion are.

Students learn how they can protect themselves and prevent these occurrences as well as what they can do if they become a bystander or if they themselves are facing cyberbullying or violence.

Digital foot prints and the consequences their online actions may have on themselves or others long-term or short-term are covered.

“Many youth might not know that just because you delete a photo doesn’t actually mean that it has disapeared, it’s still traceable,” said Ms Jones as one example of the information youth would learn about.

Students also learn an awareness of known tactics those who engage in sextortion or luring may use.

Ms Jones has also been working to develop a workshop for parents and caregivers which she expects to be available for registration mid-May.

This workshop will cover some of the same topics but additionally it will help parents identify signs that could indicate their child is experiencing or engaging in cyberbullying, improve their understanding of the dozens of platforms youth are using as well as effective ways to talk with and help youth who are experiencing or engaging in cyberbullying.

“We have a lot of quotes from youth to show, this is what they’re saying in regards to what kinds of supports they’re looking for, or what isn’t working for them and that can be really really eye opening for parents or caregivers,” she said.

Parents will also learn about how to approach conversations in a way youth may be receptive to and explore how swapping typically less effective practices for ones that are more likely to work could be helpful.

Rachel Collier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Graphic