Case Study On Elements Of Cyber Bullying

Introduction

The age of the internet dawned upon us in the mid 1990s. This new shift in communication and knowledge sharing thrilled us; the ones who saw it first. There was nothing that couldn’t be achieved over the internet. Chat rooms opened up for service and along with it, cyber bullying. Bullying is a behavior that is used by school going children to exercise a perceived dominance over others. It involves aggression, insensitivity and cruelty towards another child (Bullying & Cyber, 2011). The victim usually receives no help from friends or classmates. In fact, the risk in the number of bullies increasing is very likely (Chadwick, 2014). I was bullied throughout my days in school and know for a fact that the hurtful words/humiliating comments seldom go away.
This paper is an analysis of what really happened to Rebecca Ann Sedwick and whether the cyber bullying that she was exposed to had any link in her suicide. This paper also analyzes the various aspects of the hardship that the victims had to carry before they decided to kill themselves. Moreover, this trend cannot be allowed to continue. Not enacting sufficient laws against child pornographers is not the same as not taking any action against bullies who drive their victims to end their lives. The suffering does not end with precious lives being lost; it carries on with the parents and siblings who bear it for the rest of their days. The law should at least take its course or be allowed to take its course.

Any form of communication over the internet leaves trace evidence. Over the last few years, such traits have been recorded in cyber bullying cases. Let’s list it and check if Rebecca Ann Sedwick was bullied online.
The expression of unprecedented anger; the regular usage of exceptionally abusive language are the first signs. Repetition in the sending of offensive messages and posting gossip or rumors about the individual is a trait of cyber bullying. Intentionally excluding the victim from a friends list and posting provocative messages to extract a response from the victim are also forms of cyber bullying. The habit of revealing secrets or personal photos of others online and sending intimidating messages in all forms of activities online; the message the victim comprehends is, “nowhere is safe” (Meier, 2015).

Should the state press charges against Katelyn Roman and Guadalupe Shaw?

The State seems to have been in a hurry to dismiss the charges. Whether it was influence exerted politically or financially by the text app solutions provider is unclear. Rebecca Ann Sedwick is not the first schoolgirl to commit suicide on account of cyber bullying. The traits were visible. She did receive threatening messages. She was witnessed being bullied by the perpetrators. The defendants admitted to bullying her on and off line. Isn’t that not probable cause evidence enough to dig further and subpoena the backup conversations from the app solutions provider? (Wallace, 2014)

What is the rationale?

If a DUI driver slams his car against a tree and is unable to move; what should we do if we are at the vicinity? Walk over, open the door and curse him repeatedly. After a while, we hand him a .44 revolver and demand that he kill himself. If he goes through with the act and shoots himself, can we get off the hook by stating, “He is an alcoholic and he probably would run over the railing off a bridge at a later date”. Would it work?
The same rationale applies to Rebecca Ann Sedwick’s case. Yes, she was going through a lot emotionally in her family life. That explains why she spent time online. She was looking for a diversion; instead she found herself in the company of bullies. Although she was going through a lot due to other factors, the reason why she gave up on living had a direct link to what happened to her online. She was looking for a peaceful place; away from her problems. What she found was quite the opposite; merciless aggression at the hands of two bullies. Having exhausted all her options, she was pushed to committing suicide.

“People who die by suicide are usually experiencing undiagnosed depression” – fact or fiction?

Studies indicate that 9% of Americans experience some form of depression every year. In a population of 320 million, that constitutes to 2,880,000 people. Does the US record that many suicides in a year? The CDC reports only 42,000 suicides (CDC, 2015). Even if another 100% were to be added to this count for unreported cases, it’s (84,000) still not more than 34% of those who suffer from depression. Hence the majority of those suffering from depression do not look to kill themselves. Suicide is a response of desperation; the last resort for an emotionally cornered individual. The emotional cornering does not occur naturally; it is instigated by others. Therefore the saying, “People who die by suicide are usually experiencing undiagnosed depression” is fictitious.

Why suicide is becoming a more prevalent area of interest due to the wide-use of social media?

The world changed in the early to mid 1990s, when the internet was unveiled to the public. However, no one really thought of the ramifications. Before the internet became the glamorous plaza of hanging out virtually, we had to hang out at malls and enact a few absurd stunts to attract the attention of the opposite sex or to fit in. Nowadays, the same action is replicated in the virtual world. Not owning an old beat up Camero was totally “uncool” before the internet.
Whereas now it is almost impractical to survive peer pressures without a Facebook account. The socializing that was once done face to face is now over a few lines of a chat application. Suicide is becoming more prevalent due to social media since the virtual virtues are slowly taking over our lives. We live our lives online. Hence, we are unable to cope up with rejection online too.

Should suicide receive the notoriety necessary for agencies to work towards getting help for vulnerable individuals?

Suicide is always viewed by worldly standards as the “coward’s way out”. It does not get the same attention of first degree murder. If Jessica Ann Sedwick had been murdered by the two bullies, the state would have not dropped the charges; whether there was evidence or not. However, that was not the case. The petit teenager killed herself. This changes everything in the sight of the average human being. Suicide is not an infamous irony. It is the voice of the desperate that we failed to hear. The entire perspective should change. The victim committed suicide because no one in the chat room intervened. She killed herself because nobody in the school yard walked up to the bully and told her to “back off”. Even after her death, there is still no one to stand up and fight for her (NoBullying, 2014).

Conclusion

We are the world’s largest economy. We have the most sophisticated armed forces the world has ever seen. Our nation’s voice brings peace between warring nations. We have imprinted our footprints on the moon. If we cannot stand up for the rights of a thirteen year old schoolgirl; if we cannot help the others like her, what is the use of being the rest of it?

References

Chadwick, Sharlene (2014). Impacts of Cyberbullying, Building Social and Emotional Resilience in Schools. Springer Science & Business Media. New York: NY.
NoBullying Staff (2014). Six Unforgettable Cyber bullying Cases. Retrieved from: http://nobullying.com/six-unforgettable-cyber-bullying-cases/
Meier, Tina (2015). Cyberbullying & social media. Retrieved from: http://www.meganmeierfoundation.org/empoweren43444.html
CDC Staff (2015). Suicide and Self-Inflicted Injury. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/suicide.htm
Wallace, Kelly (2014). Police file raises questions about bullying in Rebecca Sedwick's suicide. Retrieved from: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/18/living/rebecca-sedwick-bullying-suicide-follow-parents/
Bullying & Cyber Staff (2011). Definitions. Retrieved from: http://www.bullyingandcyber.net/en/definitions/