Tyler Clementi. Megan Meier. Phoebe Prince. Jamey Rodemeyer. These names might sound familiar, but perhaps, hard to place. Why are these names recognizable?
All four of these people have something in common: they were all regular kids before bouts of cyber bullying caused them to end their lives.
According to bullyingstatistics.org, cyber bullying is any bullying done over an electronic medium, such as cell phones and the Internet.
While it can take many forms, the most prominent ones include the sending of mean messages, spreading rumors, hurtful or threatening messages, or even stealing someone’s personal account information to break into his or her e-mail or social network account to post untrue or hurtful information.
Cyber bullying can also lead to depression, anxiety and suicide. Clementi, Meier, Prince and Rodemeyer all chose the latter because they could no longer cope with the bullying to which they were being subjected.
According to the non-profit i-SAFE Foundation, which aims to educate and empower adolescents and teens about Internet safety and responsibility, about 50 percent of teens have been bullied online in some way. That means half of America’s youth population is exposed to threats or mean-spirited actions by their peers.
Almost shockingly, the i-SAFE Foundation additionally reports that 50 percent of teens also admit to bullying others. This cyclical pattern needs to stop before these statistics get any higher.
Some states and activists are trying to get legislation passed to help end cyber bullying. Despite this being a great stepping stone for cyber bullying prevention, more has to be done.
New York Senators Jeffery D. Klein, David Carlucci and State Assembly Member William Scarborough are proposing a bill to amend New York’s current cyber bullying laws. The amendment’s intention is to classify all electronic bullying as a Class A misdemeanor. In addition, cyber bullying that results in the suicide of a victim would be classified as a Class C felony, according to an article in The Epoch Times.
For New York, the proposed legislation is warranted because current laws are not up-to-date with technology. The amount of electronic devices adolescents and teens use to bully others grow daily. With more means to bully, the act of bullying becomes easier. Stricter laws can help protect our youth, and can even, in some cases, prevent deaths.
Nationwide, some groups and individuals, like Lady Gaga, are pressing that bullying becomes illegal.
Lady Gaga, using her position of power in our culture to influence others, has met with President Obama to discuss the matter, according to an article on cambio.com. Gaga and other celebrities are doing what they can to get the word out to the public that bullying, especially cyber bullying, must be stopped.
Even with celebrities and other well-known figures demanding change, power lies within the people.
Tyler Clementi was 18-years-old when he felt so bullied and discriminated against because of his sexual orientation that he committed suicide to escape it. Jamey Rodemeyer was just 14, and committed suicide for the same reason.
Teens should not have to die for action to be taken.
Also according to i-SAFE, more than half of kids who are cyber bullied do not tell a parent or other adult. As a society, we must make it so that these individuals feel comfortable speaking to someone who can take charge in these situations.
Perhaps if Megan Meier had told her mother or maybe a teacher about what was going on, she would not have felt the need to end her life.
Creating a calm and nonjudgmental safe haven where teens can talk openly with an authority figure may help cut down on the rate of lives lost.
Additionally, legislation must become stricter. Although Lady Gaga’s idea about illegalizing bulling is radical, and maybe even impossible, she has good motives.
Many of these bullies do not think about the consequences of what they are doing. If they were fully aware that their actions have negative, legal consequences, they may stop. At the very least, they may be less harsh.
Learn the facts. Speak up. Write to someone who is in the position to make a change. Write a blog. Do something.
Stop the madness, save a life. It is as simple as that to make a big change.