With technology and Internet playing a major role in our lives women are at the risk of being bullied in cyber space. When a woman is threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another person using the Internet, interactive digital technologies or mobile phones be as "Cyber bullying". Social media profiles give people the freedom to post pictures of anything they want. They can post pictures of themselves, Information about their interests or update of their whereabouts which gives cyber bullies the opportunity to pinpoint certain aspects of a person’s life to make fun of.
What makes cyber bullying so dangerous is that it gives bullies the ability to embarrass anyone they want in public at any hour of the day, using multiple, different types of technology. These can be done in many ways like instant messaging platforms, various social media platforms, interactive gaming websites, and even email. It is mainly
- Posting any kind of humiliating content of the victim.
- Hacking the victim’s account.
- Sending or posting vulgar messages online.
- Threatening to commit acts of violence.
- Stalking by means of calls, messages, etc…
- Threats of pornography
Different ways Cyber Bullying can happen
Forwarding a private IM communication to others
Women may create a screen name that is very similar to another women’s name. The name may have an additional "i" or one less "e". They may use this name to say inappropriate things to other users while impersonating as another user.
Cyber criminals may forward the above private communication to others to spread their private communication.
Never forward or share your or others private communications without the permission of users concerned in Internet Chat Rooms.
Impersonating to spread rumours
Forwarding gossip mails or spoofed mails to spread rumours or hurt another women.They may post a provocative message in a hate group chat room posing as the victim, inviting an attack against the victim, often giving the name, address and telephone number of the victim to make the hate group's job easier.
Never spread any hatred mails; and or rumours by using e-mail or mobile by impersonating as another person.
Posting embarrassing photos or video
A picture or video of women in a bathroom or dressing room may be taken and posted online or sent to others on cell phones.
Never post pictures/videos of someone or self without proper guidelines.
By using web sites or blogs
Women sometimes create web sites or blogs which may insult or endanger another woman. They create pages specifically designed to insult another women or group.
Insulting others in either place is not good etiquette. Never do it.
Humiliating text sent over cell phones
Text wars or text attacks are when women gang up on the victim, sending thousands of text-messages related to hatred messages to the victim’s cell phone or other mobile phones.
Never send messages related to humiliating a kid or teen through cell phone. It may cost your family money and also land you in criminal offence.
Sending threatening e-mails and pictures through e-mail or mobile to hurt another
Criminals may send hateful or threatening messages to women, without realizing that while not said in real life, unkind or threatening messages are hurtful and very serious.
Never threaten anybody through either Internet or Mobile communications as the victim who may be a child/teen may feel so hurt and depressed that it may even lead to his death.
Impact of Cyber bullying
- Emotional distress: anger, frustration, embarrassment, sadness, fear, depression
- Interference with school work or job performance
- Quit job, drop out or switch schools
- Delinquency and violence
- Substance abuse
- Possession of weapons on school grounds
- Suicide
