A warning that cyberbullying could be holding youngsters back

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More than a quarter of 11 -16 year olds have given up an activity they enjoy because of bullying according to research carried out to mark Anti-Bullying Week.

The figure highlights how serious the problem can be in holding youngsters back from achieving their full potential.

Bullying of any kind is unpleasant, but cyber bullying, using the internet or a mobile phone to harass, intimidate or threaten, can be particularly bad since it can be constant and reach you wherever you are, even at home.

The latest figures from BeatBullying reveal that nearly one-in-three 11-16 year olds has been deliberately targeted in this way.

Cyberbullying is a serious issue but there’s help available for those affected. There are also precautions you can take to prevent it.

If you’re affected by cyberbullying, here are some tips to help you deal with it:

• Never keep the problem to yourself, talk to your parents, teachers or anyone else who might be able to help
• Always report any form of cyberbullying – you can do this through CyberMentors or ChildLine
• Never reply or retaliate.
• Block users that send abusive messages, or adjust your social networking settings to prevent the bullies from being able to access your profile.
• Save or print any bullying messages, posts, pictures or videos you receive or see.
• Keep a record of any details you have about the sender’s identity
• Never forward offensive videos or messages to anyone else unless you’re reporting them.

You can read more advice on cyberbullying in our online guide. Other sites including BeatBullying and BullyingUK also have lots of helpful information.
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