Teens are taking their own lives because of bullying (cyberbullying is terrible, right now). What should be done?

There’s nothing to be done here. I mean okay sometimes you can’t avoid them but do you have to “listen” or “read” to what they say/do?
Cyberbullying can be avoided rather easy. If not there’s always the “I’ma flood you till you give up picking on me” solution.

And one more thing. Those who resort to taking their lives because someone said something bad/awful to them are really REALLY weak persons. One shouldn’t resort to violence or self violence because it happened.

What can be done? These bullies have their parents standing behind them thinking their kids have the right to say and do whatever they want to regardless of the consequences.

Parents——-Try your best to monitor your children when they’re on the Internet! It may be difficult, but always probe. Your kids live under your roof, so you must take control of what your children do. Sure, allow them some privacy, but be on top of things too. If they disagree and do not let you, take away the computer.

An additional and very important step is for parents to thoroughly educate their kids about cyberbullying, and give them real life examples where kids have tragically killed themselves because of it. The more parents who do this, and do it on a regular basis (not just a one time thing), the more kids will realize the seriousness of it.

@chyna But is that really the case? I’d hate to think the parents stand by their kids, knowing their kids are bullying other kids.

Was this by chance inspired by the Jamey Rodemeyer case where criminal charges against the bullies are being considered? http://abcnews.go.com/Health/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-ny-police-open-criminal-investigation/story?id=14580832

Honestly, I feel like these people probably should have criminal charges brought against them. If slander can be a crime, I don’t see why harassing someone to the point of suicide can’t be a crime either…

@DominicX I actually worked with a woman who encouraged her kids to be bullies. She bragged about it and said they could say and do whatever they wanted, that other kids should learn to take up for themselves. I might add that she was a bully herself. I’m sure there are other parents out there that act the same way.

I imagine this often happens with children who share a school (the bully(s)/victim).

I would like the children determined to be involved by the school department and local juvenile office to be removed from public school and an order of restraint issued preventing the bully from using social media.

Well, first of all, parents in general need help to recognize the symptoms of depression in their teens. So many parents have a “Oh! Not my perfect precious child!” when it comes to things like Dyslexia, ADD, and Depression, and it renders a grave disservice to the children.

If the child is already prone to dark, depressed, and/or suicidal thoughts and actions, the bullying can be enough to send the kid over the edge.

Other than that, maintaining an open relationship with the child (as hard as that might be) and properly monitoring the online activity of the child (within reason appropriate to the age and maturity level of the child) is necessary. Maintaining a level of communication with some of the kid’s teachers and faculty can help, as well. Teachers notice quite a bit, and have the advantage of relating to that age group on a daily basis. Many become close confidantes of shy or reserved or scared students.

@DominicX It’s not that they stand by them, they just don’t see it as bullying. They can’t see it for what it is. Here is a c/p from one interview I read….
Mother: “Stephanie, you know, really isn’t that bully that people label her as,”
Interviewer: “What do you think she is?” she asked.
Mother: “Oh my gosh, I don’t know . . . A sassy, sassy smartass little girl, you know?” The mother laughed.
Interviewer:“I get the sense that there’s a little piece of you that’s kind of proud of her.”
Mother: “Exactly,” said Sue. “You have to stand up for themselves, you know? In society, really, I don’t think anybody would really pick on her.”

@EnchantingEla

I guess that’s just part of parents seeing their children through rose-colored glasses; it’s difficult for them to see their kids in a negative light.

@Hibernate Suicide is not a weakness in my opinion. It is an act of desperation. A result hopelessness felt by a person who feels isolated, not understood and completely alone.

My children do not have a Facebook, Twitter or any social internet site accounts. I refuse to open that venue. They think I’m so behind the times! (I think I am ahead of the times but don’t tell them that) ; ) When they bring up online socializing, I talk to them about it. I ask them why they want it, what they would use it for, ect… I listen thoughtfully to what they have to say and tell them I’ll think about. They don’t ask about it and forget about it for months. I’ve done this for about 3 years now.
I think in most cases the core of the problem is the bullying children’s parents. They are either oblivious to what their children are doing socially, are too busy to take the time to find out or simply don’t care.
As a single parent of three it does get tiring, but I always try to stay very tuned into my children.

Know the source of your kids’ social lives. Do your kids mainly hang out with school kids? Do you know the names, faces and a general personality for each? Do your kids have more of a online social life where they are talking/skying/webcaming or interacting via created avatars and gaming characters? Take a look at those gaming characters and the chat that goes on around them.

We just had an incident in our family that we’re really not sure the source of but digging around, we uncovered so much we didn’t know and were absolutely shocked by. Now when people say it’s intrusive to monitor your kids’ online activities and social site chats, I think not.

I am glad to live in a state that includes cyberbullying in its list of offenses for which a child may be suspended or expelled from school. It is talked about in schools, and information is given to the parents as well.

@Hawaii_Jake I think most schools do what they can. Parents really need to step up to this and get re-involved in their children’s lives. As @Neizvestnaya stated… find out what your kids are doing and with whom. I don’t feel at all intrusive going through my children’s phones or checking the history on the computers. If they were 18 I might but I doubt it because I would be doing it for a reason, not just to be nosey.

Teach kids to ignore or report or retaliate against the bullies when possible. Same as always.

Have suicides among teens increased in the time of the internet? Seems as if people of all ages have been committing suicide long before the internet came along. And I wonder if more teeens than other age groups commit suicide. I know that it is extremely high among older people due to depression.

I guess I am wondering if cyber bullying is simply the current scapegoat for a situation that has existed since the beginning of humanity? When I was young anyone who had any sort of nervous or mental disorder, blame was laid on the threat of nuclear destruction. Hiding under our little desks when the air raid siren went off was pretty scary.

@EnchantingEla your statements are true but only in part. Even when someone is alone he doesn’t need to resort to suicide. One might feel he is not understood and alone but he can always find new people to talk to, he just needs to look for them.

Suicide isn’t that bad for the older people [ I can understand they do not want to suffer] or for those whop had a terrible accident and won’t be able to move again… but for teens whop have their whole life in front of them .. well that’s just awful.

@Hibernate I agree that someone being alone does not need to resort to suicide and I highly doubt that many do. If feeling lonely were enough, many people, myself included, would be dead ten times over. It is an accumulation of many complex, deep feelings and a result of a desperate need to find relieve from what you see as the cause. I’m not a crisis counselor or an educated character behavior analysis. I’m merely stating my interpretation of it. I think a suicidal person experiences a completely different mindset of the average person. The ability to reason and foresee the situation as getting better gets lost and is drowned out by the immediate abusive circumstances. To endure something so detrimental for years is not weak. If any thing they are stronger than most. I don’t know if I (as an adult) could bear the emotional weight that these kids must feel.
With physical abuse a person can become empowered by becoming physically stronger. Emotional abuse is completely different (as is a combination of the two).

As far as what should be done about the bullies, I believe it is a hate crime and should be trialed as one. I don’t know how effective it will be in reducing the amount of bullying taking place but hopefully kids may think twice before taking part in it and budding-up to do so (I think kids usually bully in groups of two or more). I honestly don’t know how you can effectively target that without parent support and direct involvement. I believe it has to start in the home.

I agree with all you said especially the second paragraph.

As for the bullying part. One should always remember there’s always someone stronger [ physically or mentally].